A Decade Passing
by AshleyIsNoRobot
Summary: Tension runs high after Bones' confession. After being apart for ten years, the two reunite, getting to know one another as new people who know how to love. AU after 6x09, eventual B/B.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey there! So, this is AU after 6x09. All in all, this is going to be a B&B story, the majority of which set ten years in the future. The first chapter is set in the present, the next… Oh, three or four chapters are going to entail what happens to both of them. I promise you that this is going to end up B&B. It's just going to explore a process of them getting to know each other again and learning to love one another without all of the heavy complications. Please read and review, so I know if I'm doing something good. (:

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She could hardly tell the difference between the pouring rain and the tears streaming down her face. Her conversation with- no, her confession to Booth had completely worn Brennan out, and now she just wanted to go home. She wanted to curl up with a book and a glass of wine and forget that this entire past case didn't happen. That these past six months hadn't happened. Hell… That the past seven years had never happened. And yet, with a pang of realization, Temperance knew that she had no home. Booth had always been her home, her sanctuary, that sense of familiarity that she so desperately clung to. But now, she didn't have that. She didn't have that sense of security anymore. She didn't know if she'd lost it just hours ago or a year ago. She didn't know much of anything anymore, and if there was one thing that Temperance Brennan needed, it was knowledge. It was clarity. It was Booth.

And now, well. All of that was gone, and it was entirely her fault. She had been wrong.

It would have taken them less time to get to the Jeffersonian than to her apartment, and in her haste to escape the awkward tension in the car, she was quick to tell Booth that her car was at the Jeffersonian so it would be wise to leave her there. As expected, he had forgotten that he'd picked her up that morning and obliged, leaving her the walk home in the pouring rain to try and gather her thoughts. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to feel nothing but sadness. Pure, raw sadness, though she fought to hold it together. Nothing screamed 'victim' more than a sobbing woman walking the streets of Washington DC alone at night.

As she walked, Brennan fought to remember just where she had gone wrong- she could only reason that it was prior to meeting Booth. All of those failed relationships (romantic and otherwise), all of those built up walls. She'd meant to protect herself, her heart. She grew detached because she didn't want to feel when there was a logical explanation for everything she needed to deal with in life. But by never allowing herself to feel, moments slipped by, one right after the other, and there was no turning back. Booth was happy. She should have been thrilled that he was happy, but she could only feel heartbroken. It wasn't fair to him and she deserved it, but there was, frankly, nothing she could do about it except wait for herself to heal.

Still, Temperance noted solemnly, as she climbed the stairs to her apartment two at a time, Booth had an entire year away from her to repair his broken heart. She was surrounded by him in full every moment of the day; she wouldn't be able to go on like this for much longer. There was only so much someone like her could deal with when matters of the heart were involved.

He left. Maybe not physically, but in some way, he left her, just like everyone else. Only this time, it was her fault.

Brennan slammed the door to her apartment and held herself together. She held herself together while she showered, got ready for bed, put her wet clothes in the laundry, and made herself hot chocolate. She held herself together as her computer booted up along with the word document containing the chapters to her latest novel. It was only after she typed the word 'Andy' did she allow herself to cry, nothing but dread and heartbreak washing over her.

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Booth and Bones worked only one case together after that.

After Brennan let any hope of Booth go, her vision cleared and she realized just how tired she really was, and just how much her time spent in Indonesia really did nothing to clear her head. She received job offers on a daily basis, but had never really considered them, only discarded them due to her loyalty to her team and the Jeffersonian and Booth. But as her finger absentmindedly stroked the mouse pad of her laptop, Temperance allowed herself the luxury of mulling over an email entailing a full two year dig in China. Two years, she noted, was an awfully long time, but she would be getting back to her roots. She would be away from Booth and while she would miss Camille and Sweets and Hodgins and Angela (especially) and, surprisingly enough, Daisy and the other interns, she would have time to clear her head. Cam had been reluctant but agreed to allow Temperance that second leave, having sympathy for her after hearing about the incident with Booth (Angela couldn't keep that to herself once she caught wind).

Booth merely called her a coward.

Their last conversation before she left was hardly a pleasant one. He'd heart it from Hannah, of all people, who heard it from Angela that his partner was leaving for two years- this time, though, he would be staying behind. He'd done his best to ignore the pang he felt in his heart when he learned that she was leaving, crediting that to the sense of betrayal he felt- she was running. She was running and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. And so they fought. It was childish, but both of them were hurt and saying goodbye.

He told her she was running. She told him he was being unfair. He told her that she was being illogical. She reminded him that he got over her when they were apart, and he swallowed back the retort that he wasn't over her- partially because that thought had taken him aback. Instead, he yelled about how she was a hypocrite for abandoning all of her friends after being so heartbroken about everyone abandoning her. "It's no wonder you're alone," he'd snapped, and his incentive to apologize didn't matter; the look on her face told him that that was the final deal breaker.

They never spoke again after that.

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Brennan stayed true to her word and returned to the Jeffersonian after two years. She was hardly surprised to learn that Booth had left the FBI's Washington office; while she knew his alpha male tendencies would have made it difficult for him to leave a job like that, Cam had hinted that he transferred to New York and Temperance knew that Hannah had originated from there. She probably had a very appealing opportunity and he moved to be with her. The team was back together and she went back to her roots, dealing with older bodies without the FBI breathing down her neck.

When Rebecca announced that she was getting married, she was all too cheery to mention to Booth that she and her new beau were moving (with Parker) to New York. Booth yelled and fought but eventually Hannah had jumped at the opportunity to move back to her home state, a grumbly Seeley trailing solemnly behind her. He and Hannah split only six months later, but he remained for the sake of his son.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I already had this chapter typed up, hence why this was posted so quickly. So, word of warning. In the beginning of this story, both Booth and Brennan are going to be in heavy relationships with other people. Or… Well, Brennan is. Booth will just be emotionally invested; you'll see what I mean in a couple of chapters. My point is, I still promise that this will end up B/B, however I have to ask that you stick with me for this. I don't know how long any OC will stay, so I'm going to ask that you tell me if you like them and want them to reoccur. I don't know what I'm doing, yet, so any opinions you guys have will be cool. There are only going to be two OC's that can return later on- one will have to be involved, at least for a couple of chapters, but the one in this chapter doesn't have to be. Opinions are lovely, guys. (:

Also, I apologize that the beginning chapters are pretty short.

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After Hannah, Booth fell in love two more times.

The first was a year after the end of his last relationship. New York was no stranger to brutal murders, and nosy journalists were no strangers to him. At first, he paid them little to no mind; they brought back memories of his ex-girlfriend and the mess that caused that he just didn't want to delve into. But eventually, that was too much to avoid, when he was at the mercy of a particularly persistent woman. It was his fault, really. He thought she had been a suspect, simply because she'd been lurking around all of the crime scenes he'd been at for the past month, and he wanted to know her angle, though his gut told him she couldn't hurt a fly. Still, he was curious. He paid some rookie to go out and arrest her, and he had a smirk on his face as he observed her from the other side of the two-way mirror. She was slumped in one of the uncomfortable chairs, her feet hoisted up on the table, and he realized they must have let her keep her cell phone because she was absentmindedly checking her email. After a few minutes, he entered the interrogation room, poised with professionalism.

"Ms. Riter, is it?"

The woman was not phased by the fact that she was currently in custody. The aforementioned woman smirked, as though she knew something Booth didn't, and cocked an eyebrow. "Didja get that from the police report? Glad to know you can read. Can you do any other tricks?"

He chuckled at her feisty nature, settling down in the seat opposite of her. "I bet can tie you to the victims." That was a lie, flat out, and by her laugh, he knew he hadn't been all that convincing.

"Oh, okay. You're going to tie me to a series of victims that aren't even linked in themselves? That's a great trick, especially considering you know yourself that I didn't do anything." He looked at her- Mimi Riter was undeniably pretty. She was tiny (he wouldn't guess she were any taller than five foot, if that) and had a slender figure, held tight by a professional black dress that showed off just enough leg to drive him a little mad if he stared long enough. She had an innocent-looking face with a contradictory devilish look in her hazel eyes and long, curly brown hair.

"Then why were you at the crime scenes?" he continued, disinterested in her response- he just wanted to see what she could bark out at him. She was probably just a lowly journalist.

"For kicks?" she shrugged simply, "An attempt to get laid? I love a man in uniform?"

Booth merely smirked, cocking an eyebrow and glancing down at his attire. Mimi chuckled. "Who said anything about you being a man?"

And from there, falling for her was easy like Sunday morning.

She had a fiery personality that was unrivaled by any other woman he met in his entire life. If he thought Bones was hard to handle, she was nothing compared to the short woman who was quick with the tongue- both in wit and in the bedroom. They didn't start becoming serious until she opened up and spilled some of her vulnerabilities to him. It all happened so fast, really, far too unexpected for him to wrap his mind around right away.

They'd just gone out for a rather lovely dinner and were walking back to his apartment when a rumble of thunder stopped her in her tracks. He stopped a few feet ahead, turning back with a bemused look on his face. "C'mon, Em," he prompted, though his brows knitted together as he noticed that she was hell bent on staying in that spot. It was then he saw that her face was flushed and she looked as though she'd just seen a ghost, which was preposterous because he knew that if Mimi Riter ever came face to face with a ghost she'd kick its ass right back to hell.

He returned to her, placing two fingers beneath her chin in an attempt to get her to look at him. Embarrassed, Mimi awkwardly tore her head away and closed her eyes, clearing her throat. "On, uhm. On second thought, maybe… M-maybe we should just call it a night." Booth was confused, but as another clap of thunder prompted a violent shudder, he sighed. "Are you… Afraid of the…?"

"Phobia," she murmured simply, "Therapy hasn't gotten me this far yet. I'm fine. I'll be fine. I just need to…"

Booth shook his head, drawing her into a tight embrace. "C'mon. We'll go back to my place and turn on loud music and cuddle, how does that sound?"

Her face buried into his chest. "It sounds like you're going soft on me."

He chuckled. "That's what happens when you like someone. You get a soft spot for 'em."

"You sound like a Hallmark card," she groaned, the heavy exhale warm against his chest.

Booth smirked, dipping his head so his lips were right next to her ear. "I could always distract you in other ways," he murmured, "And there would be nothing soft about that."

Mimi laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Did you just make a sexual innuendo?"

"Yes," Booth said matter-of-factly, scooping her up in his arms and beginning the trek back to safety.

The next morning, Booth woke up to, surprisingly, an empty bed. Mimi usually slept in longer than he did and even if she didn't, she always stuck around until he woke up. Or, if she was feeling particularly restless, he'd wake up to her removing his boxers like it was the most casual thing in the world to prepare for giving a hand job to a sleeping man. But she wasn't there, and his boxers were still on, so his stomach twisted with worry.

A loud crash from the kitchen aroused his attention and he slowly stood, creeping out until his kitchen came into view. He swore he'd never saw anything cuter. There stood Mimi, covered in pancake batter and flour, the entire kitchen a mess. She stood looking at the stove in a distressed fashion, looking frustrated, and he announced his presence with a loud guffaw. She shot a glare his direction, after getting over the initial startle, and she folded her arms across her chest. "It's not funny," she muttered, surveying the kitchen with distaste.

"But… It… It's so funny," he breathed between chuckles, moving up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Darling, you burnt a TV dinner last time you tried to make one. What on earth would you possess you to…" He paused, checking the ingredients. "Make pancakes?"

"You like pancakes," she muttered simply, leaning limply back against him, "I was hoping for some early morning sex, you know. No big deal. A bribe."

Booth's eyes widened, and he smirked, peering down at her. "You were doing something nice for me," he taunted.

Mimi scoffed- she was a terrible liar. Shifting from one foot to the other, she shook her head. "Why the hell would I do something nice for you?"

He tightened his grip around her and began swaying on the spot. "Because you like me," he sang childishly, dropping a kiss to the base of her neck. She would of protested if he had not done that, but instead, she could only give a sigh of approval. "You suck," she murmured.

Booth shook his head, grinning. "I'm more of a licking kind of guy. You should know that." He spun her around, pulling her up against him. She merely chuckled. "You're so horny in the mornings."

Shrugging, he captured her lips in a quick kiss. "You've got to get yourself cleaned up, anyways. I might as well help you out."

"Bedroom?"

"Too far away. Bathroom?"

"You dropped me last time. Kitchen floor?"

"Bad for my back. Counter?"

"How is that any better?"

"How is that not any better?"

"Deal."

Their chemistry was undeniable. They both drove each other mad ("I'm not going to give you information on this fucking case." "Why not?" "Because I'm not supposed to." "I'm not supposed to throw spit balls at secretaries, but I do that anyways." "You… You're so infuriating!") but as time went on, both realized they were just doing it for the sake of getting make up sex and their fights grew to be more petty. He realized he was in love with her when, one night, they were laying in bed and he was trying to keep her awake long enough to watch Conan O'Brien, because he knew that she'd been wanting to watch her favorite talk show for quite a long time.

"Mmph, Booth," she mumbled, curling up delicately at his side. It astounded him how much of her fiery personality she lost when she was tired. She was like a cat, and he had to admit it was pretty adorable.

"Mm, what?" he murmured, pressing a few kisses to her neck, "You're sleepy."

"Am not," she protested, groaning. Her hand found its way to the back of his head, fingers tangling in with his hair. He took that as a sign that she wanted more, so he trailed his kisses down the length of her body. He looked up as her back arched, and he grinned, crawling back up to enclose her in his arms.

"Mimi," he murmured, kissing her lips softly, "You should sleep."

"You should suck a dick."

He laughed at her half-hearted attempt at an insult, kissing her again until her eyes opened. "You should still sleep." Booth watched as she moved closer to him, curling up so her body was mostly on top of his. Despite her exhaustion, she hoisted herself up so she was straddling his stomach, her legs folded neatly beneath her. "If I had a dick I'd make you suck it," she murmured sleepily, rubbing her eyes. He could only smile, his hands resting on her legs, thumbs absentmindedly stroking her thighs.

And then, it slipped out.

"I love you, Em."

He watched as she froze, eyes widened as she stared down at him. He knew that she hadn't had the best experiences with men in the past; cheated on by a fiancé, referred to as a hobby by a man she thought she could trust. Her father had died when she was a child and her step-father was a less than quality man. He knew she was afraid, for he could see it in her eyes, and he responded by kissing her softly. "Don't say it back until you're ready," he murmured, and he rolled her over until she was laying beside him again.

After a good ten or so minutes, she spoke up. "Do you mean it?"

Booth's eyes traced her facial features, noticing the rare vulnerability in her eyes. He smiled softly, stroking her cheek. "Yes," he murmured, and very faintly, he heard the lovely female beside him whisper, "I love you too."

Booth had, for the first time in a long time, found happiness. Even though he and Mimi hadn't worked out (for reasons that were mostly his fault- he was frightened and let her go), she had woken him up to the possibility of love and for that he was eternally grateful. He knew he'd hurt her, though, and felt guilty for that. He hadn't seen her since their tearful goodbye and for all he knew, she'd moved on to the next big city, just because she couldn't stand the thought of seeing him anymore.

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A/N: I know that this OC wasn't as developed, but that's because this particular relationship with Booth isn't as significant. But I know she'll probably be referenced so I wanted to write it out. I know everything about Mimi, though, so if I do bring her in later on down the line, she'll get more development.

And, again, let me know if you do want her referenced later. (:

If you're having trouble picturing her, think of Lauren Graham.

Brennan's the complete focus of next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey! I've received another snow day so I decided to hop on chapter three. I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, and I want to remind everyone that not only do reviews fuel my muse but I'll want, after this chapter, to know how involved Mimi and Seth (who you'll see this chapter) should be later on. C: I'm still trying to figure out how to take this story. Chapter four is Booth centered, again, and I already have a lot of that chapter written so it should be up by later today or tomorrow. Chapter five, you'll get a B/B reuniting.

If you want a mental picture for Seth, think Anthony Rapp.

Just a response to a couple of reviews, first,

horseninja: I watched that episode last night, too, haha. I think that, you're right, the same concept applies, but I think that Booth went through a lot more than Sully. I think Brennan provided a solid argument and I don't think Booth was completely in his right mind. When I watched the 100th episode, after the heat of the moment ended, it felt like Booth was just… Defeated. It was probably all just one huge shock to him, both the fact that he did it and the rejection, and by the time his head cleared, the moment had passed. My own personal opinion, of course. But I never made that connection- I'm glad you did. (: Something to think about.

SouthunLady: Trust me, haha, I completely agree with you about the hating Booth with other women thing. That's one reason why I got rid of Hannah right off the bat. It's only natural that the two of them would find other interests in the time they are apart, but I think the way Booth and Hannah happened, it wouldn't have lasted, anyways. It wasn't natural and Hannah would bring back memories of Brennan. Booth has had his fair amount of relationships already, but I think Brennan needs to have a successful relationship with someone else before she can give her heart to Booth. And I think Booth needs something to clear his head, of all of the mistakes he made with Hannah and with Brennan and with women in general, and next chapter I plan to show him in a relationship (that will only last one chapter, she will not be able to return later, as you'll see) with a woman that isn't like any of the others he's dated, a fresh personality, and he'll learn from her and start appreciating life (and Brennan) a lot more when they finally grow close again. It'll be a slow progression, I know, and I'm sorry, haha.

^ I just wanted to explain my thought process, guys, why I'm doing this how I am. I feel like Hart's got a lot of work to do to repair what B/B have. I mean… I know everyone, including me, are rooting for an episode where Booth goes home all, "Sorry Hannah, I love Bones" and then bam, a B/B kiss at the end then happily ever after, but for a realistic relationship, it's… It'll be hard to do after everything unless they get their chance to start over.

Also, thank you to WERCOMINGUP and THUMPER5 for also reviewing. (:

I'm sorry for the long A/N, haha. I just wanted to explain why I'm doing what I'm doing. I know that O/C's are not what people like, but I feel they're necessary. Perhaps Mimi wasn't, but Seth and Lorelei (next chapter) are.

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Temperance Brennan had always had a difficult time opening up. Metaphorically, that is; if the idea had been presented to her that she had an inability to 'open up', she would have shot back with a retort detailing the illogical nature of that accusation. But as it stood, she found it near impossible to open up and let someone in, especially after what happened with Booth. The two years she'd been away had helped, of course. She no longer felt that ache of pain whenever she thought about him, and instead merely missed the man she spent a better part of her trip with, who returned back to Scotland to continue his work as she had to continue with hers. Upon her return to the Jeffersonian, when she learned that Booth had moved to New York, the main emotion that washed over her was pure curiosity. Did he not want to be around her anymore? Did he and Hannah get married and move off together? Why wasn't she informed? But Cam and Angela had urged that they knew nothing of the details, so Temperance was left to her imagination, which for a scientist like her, that wasn't very much.

She quickly fell back into the groove of things, however. Once again, her team was assessing the bodies of ancient human remains and, while she was occasionally lent out to an agent or two for a really big FBI case, she was mostly left alone. After the incident with Booth, she found herself right back in her shell, and it seemed like the only people who could get through to her were the people she'd known for years. Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Sweets. She even had the opportunity to visit Zack on occasion, which she always loved to do. No matter how bad of a thing he'd done, she still felt an overwhelming connection to him and trusted him enough to 'open up'.

But whenever she met someone new, every barrier she'd ever built went right back up. She needed someone to break them down, but she didn't find that person until one year after her return.

The coffee shop she had grown accustomed to (for it held no memories, good or bad) was under new management, causing her to go find another place where she could spend her mornings. Angela recommended a small place just a few blocks from the Jeffersonian, but Brennan had managed to resist for a few long weeks. Finally, Angela had enough. Temperance was irritable unless she had coffee in the morning- the team didn't know how much more they could take.

"Brennan," Angela's voice called, snapping the doctor from her reverie. Tempe blinked, glancing once around her office before her gaze landed on her best friend.

With a defeated sigh, she whined, "Oh, c'mon. Now that's not fair."

In tail was Angela and Hodgins' three year old daughter, thumb shoved in her mouth. Angela merely flashed a grin, bending down to hoist her child up into her arms. "Madeline wants to spend some time with her Aunt Bren. She wants to go get some hot chocolate and see her Uncle Seth."

Brennan cocked an eyebrow. "Uncle Seth? She has an Uncle Seth?" Confused, she hoisted herself to her feet and grabbed her purse. There was no way she was able to deny Madeline of anything. As opposed as she was to spoiling children, she found that when it came to her not-actually-niece, she had a soft spot for wanting to give her the world.

"It's one of the employees at the coffee shop," Angela beamed, handing Madeline over to Temperance as was silently requested. Madeline immediately buried her face in Brennan's neck. The artist continued, "He's really sweet. Cute, too. I thought he was gay at first, but he's really not. I think you'll like him."

Brennan sighed. She knew Angela's angle, always trying to set her up with nice men. "He works at a coffee shop? Ange, you know I only date successful and intelligent men."

Angela rolled her eyes. "Sweetie, have an open mind, would you? He's saving up for law school. He just can't afford things. He has his own story, just like you do. I'll I'm asking as that you at least try to be friends. I think you'll like him, though. You'll probably see him around at our house, though. He just loves Madeline. And she loves him. She's always asking for her Uncle Seth."

It was hard, Temperance noted mentally, not to love Madeline. The child took after her mother in every way but her eyes, and she had mother's creativity matched with her father's curiosity. Madeline was a very loving child, always wanting to cuddle. It was no wonder that this man took a liking to her, and knowing Angela and Hodgins, he was a good person. They were over protective. They didn't just let anyone into their daughter's life.

They entered the coffee shop, and Brennan was pleasantly surprised. The décor was, perhaps, overwhelming, but it was cozy and everything about it screamed 'home'. Behind the counter, she observed a tall man in a flashy holiday sweater smiling brightly as he chatted animatedly with a customer. He was handsome, though not like Booth was. He was more… 'Adorable', as Angela would call it. He had short blond hair that stuck up every which way and a pair of warm, brown eyes hidden behind glasses. He was scrawny, appearing to have no muscle, but his smile was comforting and inviting- she found herself attracted to him.

"Uncle Seth!"

Madeline wiggled around until Angela gave the go ahead for Brennan to set her down. The man's head snapped up and beamed, watching as the child ran behind the counter. "Madeline!" he cheered, picking her up quickly and setting her down so she was perched on the counter, facing him. He gave her a quick hug before pulling back, tickling her momentarily in her stomach. "What're you doing here? Did you walk here all by yourself?" he teased, and Madeline giggled. "No! Mommy bwought me."

Seth chuckled and ruffled the child's hair, perking up and holding out a hand to wave. "Hey Angie," he greeted, and the mother ran forward. Both leaned awkwardly across the counter for a quick hug. "Hodgins is working today, I take it?"

"Yeah," she responded, sitting down at a stool in front of the counter and pulling Madeline back onto her lap. "Hey, remember that woman I was telling you about? The brilliant, sexy, single scientist?"

Temperance took a seat next to Angela, listening to the conversation. Seth grinned, raising an eyebrow. "You mean the one that you said goes for handsome, successful guys that are the complete opposite of me? Yeah, you've mentioned her." Brennan got the impression that she was a common topic of conversation for Angela.

Chuckling, Angie gestured to her right. "Well. Seth Hall, I'd like you to meet Dr. Temperance Brennan. Bren, this is Seth."

Seth coughed a bit, his attention flitting over to the other woman. He glanced over her features. Angela certainly hadn't been lying when she described Dr. Brennan's appearance, though he would have thought her to be just as beautiful as she was sexy. He noticed the way her curls framed her face, and his smile softened as he extended a hand out to her. "It's nice to meet you."

"Yes," was all she said, curt and to the point, shaking his hand and ignoring Angela's grunt of protest. Instead, Brennan just glanced around the coffee shop. "How long have you worked here?"

Angela murmured her order, as well as what Brennan usually got, and Seth set to work. Answering over his shoulder, he quipped, "A few years. It's not… Not much, I know. I'm working on it, though. Soon I'll be in law school, I hope. I'm still trying to gather the funds."

He placed down hot chocolate for Madeline and two coffees for the women. Brennan, skeptical, blew on the contents of her coffee before taking a sip.

It was like love at first sight.

Temperance found herself in the quaint coffee shop at least three times a day after that, usually in a hurry to grab a cup of coffee and go. Seth liked the rare times when she stayed. He'd always been the kind of man to get attached to a woman he found himself attracted to, and this was no exception. Temperance Brennan was secretive, stubborn, amazing, and lovely- not to mention she'd turned him down on a dinner offer at least three times, now. But Angela urged him not to give up, so he wouldn't.

Brennan liked Seth enough. It wasn't as though she didn't- he was kind and cute, and seemed to like her. But she knew that he wasn't one for one night stands and that with the occasional fling was all she ever allowed herself to indulge in. She didn't have much time and she was afraid. Afraid of letting someone in, afraid of trusting, afraid of getting hurt. So every time Seth asked her to dinner, each attempt more heartfelt than the last, she turned him down, doing her best to ignore that sad look on his face every time.

Really. Hurting him was like hurting a damn puppy. Pathetic. Cute… But pathetic.

After a particularly rough day, including closing a case that involved the death of a child, Bren found herself needing a cup of that rather addicting coffee. When she arrived, she found the lights mostly off and the door locked- she cursed, but before she could get too upset, a familiar, lanky figure opened the door and there stood Seth, a small smile gracing his pale features. "Hey, Bren. You're just in time. C'mon, I'll get you a cup of coffee."

She merely nodded. He took a moment to observe her in the light, before frowning and slowly exhaling. "Hey… Hey, Bren, what's wrong?" Perhaps it was the exhaustion, but for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to cry in front of someone that wasn't Booth or Angela. She felt her knees quiver and he quickly stepped forward, gathering her in his arms. "Hey," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple, "What's up?" Temperance buried her face into his neck and he pulled her over to a booth, sitting down and tugging her into his lap. He held her for a good five minutes before the crying subsided and she got a grasp on reality.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled awkwardly, breathless and raspy. "I should go."

Seth tightened his grip around her. "Tempe, wait. What's… Just… Talk to me."

She sighed softly, closing her eyes and leaning against him for comfort. "I'm just… I'm just so tired. And… Lonely. I'm tired and lonely."

Seth's heart dropped into his stomach and he craned his neck, resting his forehead against hers. "Temperance," he whispered, reaching up to run his fingers slowly through her hair, "I know… I know I may not be… Wh-what you want, but just… Please. Give me a chance. Give me a chance to show you that you deserve nothing but the best."

She sniffled, ready to reject him, yet again, before she looked in his eyes- she saw nothing but meaning, adoration. And before she knew it, she was leaning in, slowly, brushing her lips softly against his. He gasped gently, surprised, before he connected their lips once more. That night, not only did they establish that both of them were surprisingly wild in bed, but they decided to engage in a relationship, one that went at Brennan's own pace.

That was, of course, sluggishly slow. But for his Tempe, he had nothing but patience.

Over the next year and a half, she revealed herself to him.

He held her as she told him about her failed relationships.

He held her as she told him about her teenage years.

He held her as she told him about her troubles, her hardships, her fears.

He held her as she told him about Booth.

But mostly, he just held her.

He was ready to tell her he loved her after just a year, but held back until their two year anniversary. She stated that she was easily frightened, ad with the pace she was taking their relationship at, he knew he had to be careful. It was late spring and night had just fallen. Temperance was a bit huffy when he explained that he wasn't taking her out to dinner, like he'd originally said, but continued to refuse to reveal any further information. Instead, he just grinned his usual lopsided smile and parked near a lake, helping her out of the car.

"You took me to a lake?" she asked skeptically, peering around.

Seth merely smiled, softly, and slipped an arm around her waist. "C'mon, Tempe. Look. See? I got us a… Well, a really giant movie screen and an old couch and a projector. We're gonna watch two movies tonight. One that you want to watch, one that I want to watch. Look… I got a Mayan documentary for you, and… And The Notebook, for me, 'cause I want to watch that with you. And I made us a picnic. Everything is vegetarian, I promise."

Temperance took a few steps forward to assess the situation. "Anthropologically speaking," she began, slowly, "Men usually assert their dominance by… Taking the woman out for a nice meal and out into public where he can show her off. They also like to watch action movies."

Seth's smile faltered, and he looked down at the ground. "You… Don't like it," he murmured, obviously disappointed, and cleared his throat to try and hide it. He wasn't a very good liar. "You… We can… I can still take you out, if you'd like, I just thought…"

Temperance stepped forward, pressing a light kiss to his lips and adding a smile. "Seth," she said, "I love it. I was just… Trying to assess your motives, that's all."

Seth beamed, satisfied, and wrapped his arms around her. "Temperance… My motive is that, I… I love you. That's why I did this."

Brennan froze, visibly stiffening and looking at him. "Are you… Sure? No, you're just… It's the moment, I-"

Seth could tell she was beginning to build her walls up and he panicked, pulling her back in. "No, no, I've been wanting to say that to you for almost a year. I'm positive. Look, you don't have to say anything now. I'm not expecting anything. I just… I want you to know that I love you. That when I look at you, all I see is perfection. That when I'm not with you, I want to be. That you're my world, Temperance."

He could see the tears as she pushed him away, stumbling backwards as she tried to judge the situation. "You can't possibly love me," she whispered, shaking her head vehemently, "I… No, you… I can't do this. I don't have your kind of open heart."

She was panicking just as much as he was. The last time someone claimed to love her, they found someone new. She couldn't even think about the fact that she'd rejected Booth; only that this man, who had become a constant in her life, was trying to break down that final wall that kept him from having her completely. She was scared. She loved him, but she couldn't say it, couldn't accept his confession. She paused, though, as he noticed that he had tears in his eyes. She stopped fighting and ran back to him, her arms around him. She hated it when he was sad.

"Please," he whispered, begging, as he held her tighter than he ever had. "Please.. Just… Accept it, okay? Just know, just… Feel. Please, Temperance. I love you. I don't want to… I don't want to know what it's like to be without you, okay? Please. Please."

One year after that, she returned the gesture.

By this time, she'd grown accustomed to his antics. Sometimes, in the morning, he'd wake up before her and she'd find him playing You Make My Dreams Come True by Halls & Oates quietly in the kitchen though dancing around and lip syncing like it was blasting rock music, clad only in a pair of boxers and using a spatula as a microphone while he waited to flip the pancakes. This morning she found the same thing, and she laughed softly as she exited the bedroom, buttoning up his shirt. "Good morning."

He jumped, as he always did, ashamed that he'd just been caught. "Morning, Tempe," he greeted, blushing, and he set a plate of pancakes down in front of her. Leaning across the table, he pressed a kiss to her lips. "How did you sleep?"

After a long silence, where she was visibly in deep thought, she took a deep breath. "Not well." Another pause, then, "I love you too, Seth."

It was hardly romantic, but Seth couldn't recall a time when he felt happier than he did at that moment. Things still went sluggishly slow, but he was willing for that to happen. Six months after her confession, they moved into a new apartment near the Jeffersonian. She persuaded him to let her pay for law school, and for the next three years, they lived at peace while she worked and he continued his education. He graduated and received a good job right in the city. After seven years of dating, the two finally had a rather large announcement to make.

All of Dr. Brennan's team were cramped inside of her office. Angela, Hodgins, and nine year old Madeline were all piled on top of each other in an arm chair while Cam, Clark, Sweets, and Daisy sat on the couch. Every one of them loved Seth like he was apart of their family; they had all, at this point, accepted Booth's departure and the fact that he was probably married to Hannah, so they were all thankful that Seth had managed to repair Brennan's broken heart. Angela already had a strong feeling about what was going on, and could hardly contain her excitement, squeezing Hodgins' hand with a wide smile on her face.

Seth and Brennan entered the office after an agonizing amount of time, Seth's arm wrapped kindly around her waist. "Hey guys," he greeted, though all any of them could notice was the wide, uncharacteristic smile plastered to Temperance's face.

"Oh my God," Angela piped up, and Sweets quickly followed by quipping, "You're getting married."

Sure enough, Seth eagerly grabbed his fiancée's hand, displaying the ring. They scheduled their wedding for a year and a half later, busying themselves with the preparations.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. (: I really appreciate it.

This one's long. Really long. I need to capture the entire development of this relationship, because it's going to set up a lot of who Booth is. I probably should be splitting this up into chapters but not only am I sure you guys want me to get to the B/B goodness sooner rather than later, but because I'd feel bad way outweighing Booth's chapters compared to Brennan's. There's also a bit of smut in here, but not a lot, so I apologize if that's not your thing. I'll try to focus more on the emotional aspects rather than the physical, but y'know, I enjoy my balance. ;D

I apologize if I don't get all of the medical procedures correct down the line. Stay with me, here.

Think of Lorelai as Zooey Deschanel.

Because the Deschanel siblings are quite lovely.

I'd especially love feedback on this chapter.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

One year after the conclusion of his relationship with Mimi, Booth found himself alone, but content. He'd lived in New York for four years, now, and he'd fallen into a pattern. The most he thought about his old partner was when he picked up one of her books to read, and even then he wasn't filled with bitter thoughts anymore. Only nostalgia. He was one of the best agents again and he spent most of his time at a local coffee shop, with some of the friendliest people he'd ever met in his life. Most of them were regulars, so when a new face showed up, he was always very curious.

One particular new patron caught his eye. Like Mimi, she had curly brown hair, though she had bangs that ran straight across her forehead. She was taller, though, roughly five foot six, closer to Bones' height. He noticed, though, that this new woman was thin- too thin, for his liking. She looked like she was starving, and with her pale complexion, she almost looked sick. This, in no way, took away from her beauty. Her eyes were bright blue and she looked, for lack of a better word, innocent. Pure, untouched innocence. She looked afraid, too. Nervous. Like she didn't know what to do in such a place. She had a white dress on, clinging to her frail figure, and in her left hand she was clutching a banjo case. She walked up to the counter, chewing on her lower lip like it was her lifeline. He was almost afraid that it would start bleeding. "C-can I have a, uhm… A h-hot ch-chocolate, please?" she murmured, and awkwardly opened her case to pull out a few crumpled dollars. When she received it, she retreated to a booth in the far corner and curled up against the window, sinking into her own little world.

Booth had always been the kind of person to act when he was curious, so he slipped into the seat behind her, poking his head around. "Hey," he greeted cheerfully, a smile on his face, and the woman jumped like she'd just seen a ghost.

Clearing her throat, she forced a small, uneasy smile. "Oh, uhm, hello," she responded, then her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh… I'm sorry, d-did I t-take your seat? I didn't mean to, I-"

"What? No, no no," Booth interrupted, chuckling lightly. Most of the women in his life had strong, independent personalities; Tessa, Rebecca, Hannah, Bones, Cam, Angela. There was something refreshing about this girl's innocence and nervousness. "I just… I'm Seeley Booth, but you can just call me Booth." He extended a hand to her, which she took graciously, shaking it. He noticed her grip was weak.

Her gaze flitted over his features, as though assessing him, and he watched her relax- not much, but enough to satisfy. "I'm Lorelai," she responded with a soft smile, which he couldn't help but mirror with one of his own, "It's, uhm. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine."

She smiled at him, and he took it as a cue to move into the seat opposite of her. She bit her lip, tilting her head a bit. "Do you not like being called 'Seeley'?" she asked curiously, and instead of snapping an answer like he normally would, all he could do was think that he liked the way it sounded coming from her. Booth grinned and answered, simply, "I guess I just always thought it sounded silly."

She giggled, scrunching her nose up in a playful manner. "Silly? I don't think it sounds silly. I like it, actually."

He paused, then for the first time, he admitted, "Then you can call me Seeley."

Booth lost track of time during that long first discussion. He didn't learn many things about Lorelai that afternoon, but he learned enough to assess her personality; she was young, about ten years to his senior, but had a sense of maturity about her. Despite her innocent and naïve nature, he got the impression that she was more experienced than she let on. She was afraid and kind-hearted, perhaps the most good natured person he ever came in contact with. All of her intentions were pure. Still, she had built up a lot of defenses, to the point where he figured out that whatever she was hiding, she was ashamed about.

With the exception of Bones, Booth had never had any problems with women before. The process was simple enough. There was banter, some flirting, and he'd ask them out for dinner. There would be sex, and more dinner, and more sex, and then he'd introduce them to Parker once he was sure they were a large part of his life. Things with Brennan had been difficult, for the most part, because of their mutual stubbornness and the fact that they worked together. But Lorelai was different. He noted that if he were to push for a relationship, there would be no sex, only making love because she seemed just so delicate, like she would break at any point. She seemed afraid of things, and the last thing he wanted was to frighten her off, because if there was one thing she definitely needed, it was a friend.

And so, for a few months, that's how they remained. She eventually confided in him that for reasons unknown to him, she was unable to hold a very steady job and the source of her income only came from playing her banjo (which she had named 'Louis', which he found quite adorable) in Central Park. She played for him a few times, and he found that he never thought the instrument could sound so lovely. One day, after weeks of begging, she dared to let him into her apartment. He shivered as he saw the area- covered in guys who probably had drugs in their system and guns in their pockets lurking around the alley of the side door Lorelai brought him through, and up a few floors he found himself astounded in the small space she lived in. She couldn't afford much, that was evident, but he was quite fearful for her safety. He'd thrown guys like the ones she had to pass each day into jail for rape and murder and he made a mental note to get her out of that situation as quickly as possible.

He began to visit her, then, if only because he didn't want to have her leave her apartment to come meet him and risk being in danger. It was irrational, he knew, because she had always been fine before, but he couldn't help it. Plus, she was always worried about him, anyways. They had established each other as best friends and she always insisted he called her at least twice a day when he was working on a case to assure her that he was alright, because she wanted to make sure. He even went so far as to introduce her to Parker, and was astounded at how well she was with kids. Parker was growing up, of course, but he still took to her immediately. Even Rebecca, who never really liked any of the women he introduced to Parker, seemed to have a soft spot for the new woman in his life, and gave him a glare when he told her they weren't dating.

The minute Lorelai was out of ear shot, however, he grinned smugly at the mother of his child and added, "Yet."

It was winter and Booth had already gone to great lengths to help her out, despite the fact that she never knew. He would always take her out when he wasn't working to make sure she didn't freeze playing her banjo in the park, and he always took her out for meals so she didn't have to worry about that expense. He convinced her landlord to turn the heat on and tell her that he lowered her rent, when in reality Booth was paying the extra expenses under the table. She was happier than when he first met her, he noted, and he was proud of himself for being the reason for that.

With a big smile on his face, Booth found himself outside of her apartment early one Saturday morning with the intentions of taking his best friend ice skating. He knocked on the door, excited for the surprise, and she appeared, a slow, gentle smile he'd grown to adore spreading across her face. It was weaker today, though; it usually was. He noticed that there were a lot of days she didn't feel well, but he just credited that to her living conditions. "Hey, Lee," she greeted, and as always, he chuckled. Her nickname for him had evolved to the last syllable of his first name, and if it had been anyone else but Lorelai, he probably would have gotten annoyed by it. But he liked it, as long as she was the one saying it. "What're you doing here? I thought you had to work."

"Wrapped it up early," he beamed, kicking the door closed behind him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed a light kiss to the side of her head, a regular greeting for the two of them. "Thought I'd take you out ice skating."

"Ice skating?" she questioned with a smile, cocking her head ever so slightly to the side in curiosity. "I'm pretty sure I'll fall, Lee."

"You'll be fine, Lore. I won't let go of you, I promise." He nodded reassuringly, pocketing his hands. Lorelai shyly grabbed her old, tattered winter jacket (that was hardly warm enough, but she wouldn't let him buy her a new one) and he took the moment to appreciate her. He spent so much time at work seeing the dark side of the world, the killers, and being with her was just so… Refreshing. Even if she had a bad day, or wasn't feeling well, she always had a smile for him and was always full of cuddles that it made it so hard for him to believe that things could ever be bad in the world. Nothing was bad when Lorelai was around. He cleared his throat, then, his smile widening. "If you don't mind, I'm just gonna go use the restroom, then we'll go, okay?"

"Okay," she responded absentmindedly, her brow furrowed as she searched for, no doubt, her keys. She never could keep track of them, even with so few possessions.

Booth disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. After he was finished washing his hands, he noticed an empty pill bottle on the counter. He knew he shouldn't have looked, but it was hard for him not to- surely if she was on antibiotics for something, she would have told him. There was a complicated name printed on the bottle, but with a settling sense of dread, he recognized the name. He and Bones had, once, solved a case where the mother had murdered her disabled child because she was dying and was afraid of what would happen when she was gone. She had this same medication- Bones had explained that it was for patients with AIDS.

Booth clamped the bottle tightly in his right hand, using the other to push through his hair. No, it couldn't be; there was no way Lorelai could be so sick. Sure, she was pale, she was thin. She was often times sick and he could tell that she wasn't always as happy as she let on. But she couldn't have AIDS, there just wasn't any way. Clearing his throat, he pushed his way out to find her coat thrown on the couch as she continued to search for her keys, frowning.

"Lorelai," he murmured softly, the gentleness of his voice jolting her attention almost immediately. She frowned, knitting her brows together. "What's wrong, Lee? Did you get called into work? It's okay if you did, I promise. I understand."

Booth shook his head, hesitating before warily holding out the bottle. Her eyes widened, like a deer caught in the headlights, and he could see her holding back tears as she sank onto the couch. "I'm sorry," were the only words that slipped from the confines of her lips, and that was enough to make him sit down next to her and pull her onto his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her. As much as she tried to fight it, tears began to stream down her face and her arms wrapped tight around his neck, her face hidden in his shoulder. He had enough experience to know that he couldn't push her, and sure enough, once her sobs had subsided, she squeaked out, "I'm so sorry" yet again.

Under the impression that he wouldn't want to be around her any longer, she made a move to stand, but he held her close to him and swallowed harshly. "I… How… I…"

Lorelai shook her head. "I… You'll… Hate me. You… You already do, oh God, I messed up." She was afraid, and he was practiced enough to see that the she was building up walls around herself. It was then I realized I'd cracked the code. I knew exactly what she was hiding, now, but I didn't know the story behind it. My lips came to rest on her ear, a practiced form of comfort that I knew worked for her, and I whispered, "I could never hate you. Will you please open up?"

She hiccupped and rubbed her eyes in an adorably childish manner, sitting up a bit straighter. "I was stupid," she began, taking a deep breath, "I… I was scared, and young, and I made a friend." She paused, and he gave her hand a squeeze to let her know it was okay. "Freshman year of High School. I didn't… Know anyone else. He was… Older, and he told me he'd introduce me to his friends, so… H-he did." Booth's heart clenched as he watched her stutter through her story. He jumped to the worst conclusion- rape. Angered at the mere thought of it, he tightened his grip around her (Bones would have told him that his alpha male tendencies made him overly protective) and that seemed to give Lorelai the strength to continue. "I got… I got… Roped into drugs." Booth cleared his throat, unable to determine if he was relieved that she contracted the disease through drugs or not. He was a cop, but at least this way he knew that she wasn't forced. "I was just… I'm so sorry. S-scared, I was just scared. Scared of being alone, and I couldn't… They just… And…" Another trail of tears escaped and she curled into him, choking out a few sobs. "I found out when I was sixteen. My parents pulled me out of school, and put me in rehab, and I swear I haven't done anything since. I promise you."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

Lorelai reached up and wiped away some of her tears. "I've never told anyone before. It was a terrible thing. It was a mistake. I've never been… Close to anyone before. My parents, they hate me because of what I did. They hardly talk to me anymore. I was just… Afraid that if you knew, you… It's… It's a reason to hate me, Seeley."

A voice in the back of his mind screamed "love her", while his conscious told him he needed to digest the information. He slipped her off of his lap and forced himself not to look at her pained expression. "I need to… Think about this," he murmured, and with that, he left her apartment.

He tried to call her that night, and for three days after that, but she refused to pick up. He figured she was just hurt, or angry, but his protective side told him he should go check on her nevertheless. His feelings for Lorelai were far too strong to let this deter him. Plus, it sounded as though she needed him, and to be quite honest, he needed her just as much. He knocked on her apartment door, but there was no answer, and when he threatened the guys outside the building with his gun and badge they stressed that they hadn't seen her leave her apartment in days. Booth, heart pounding, gave her apartment door one last knock before he pushed through with his shoulder, taking a look around.

Everything looked untouched. She wasn't in the living room, nor her bedroom. The bathroom door was ajar, and he pushed it open to see her lying on the ground, curled up and fast asleep. After Booth had left, Lorelai had allowed her illness to get the best of her; it was something she did when she lost all hope. The three prominent symptoms of her disease, at least in her case, were depression, fatigue, and nausea. He had managed to keep her optimistic over the span of time in which she knew him, but she felt far too upset at the thought of losing him. The fatigue and nausea were at war, but finally fatigue had won the battle and she had fallen asleep curled up next to the toilet. Upon seeing her, Booth's stomach gave an uncomfortable twist and he hoisted her up in his arms. Lorelai shifted and buried her face in his shoulder subconsciously in her sleep, as though she could sense that it was him, though she didn't wake until he set her softly on the bed.

She stirred, opening her eyes and her gaze settled on Booth. She gave a light cough. "What are you doing here?" she murmured, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and slowly sitting up. He attempted to push her back down but she moved away, skeptical, afraid he was about to end their friendship right there and now.

"Lorelai," he whispered, clearing his throat, "How… How sick… Are you?"

She bit her lip, looking down at her lap. "Right now, or in general?"

"In general."

Wrapping her arms around her knees, she sighed. "I haven't been to the doctor's for awhile. But… But last time I went, they said the virus was pretty mutated and I only have a few years left." She shrugged, and Booth felt his heart break. He got to her too late. If he had met her just a few years earlier, maybe… Maybe he would have been able to help before she got this bad. Maybe he could have helped her afford a treatment. But now she was dying, and he was falling harder and harder for her, and he didn't know what to do.

So he kissed her.

She retreated at first, but he perched himself on the edge of the bed, pulling her closer in. He was startling her, he knew, but this was the only way he could figure out how to show her how much he cared, how much she meant to him. She'd confided in him, once, that she had never had a proper boyfriend and she was a virgin, which explained her uneasiness. Still, after a few seconds she melted into the kiss, her hand coming up to rest squarely over his heart.

She pulled away first, gasping for air, and he felt a little guilty because of how sick she seemed to be. He slipped his fingers through her hair and leaned in to kiss her cheek, quite satisfied at the look of pure shock on her face. "Lore," he whispered, nuzzling his nose against her cheek, "I promise you that I will never leave. I will never hate you. I will always be here for you, and I will take care of you."

"Why?" She blinked, innocently, and all he could do was smile.

"Because you have my heart."

He watched the series of emotions flit across her face. First confusion, and then gratitude, and then content, then right back to confusion. "I… Seeley, what are you-"

"I'm falling for you," he continued simply, and he reached down to grab her hand, replacing it in its previous position over his heart. She didn't respond, just felt it beating beneath her palm, before she used her free hand to pull his own hand up to her heart. If Booth hadn't been so caught up in the moment, he would have reacted to the fact that his hand was so near her breast, but all he could do was cherish the heart beats. Because now… Now that he knew, he felt that she didn't have much time, and he wouldn't have many more opportunities to feel her heart beat.

He realized, now, just how precious she was. She was more fragile than she looked, and one of the first things he observed about her was that she seemed like she could break in an instant. She had let him in completely, and he knew all of her vulnerabilities. He held her heart in his hands and had no intentions of breaking it. She was now his, and he was all hers. They established a bond that could not be broken. Whenever she would hurt, he would be there. He had an excuse to hold her whenever she looked sad, to try and make all of her problems go away. Just being with her could improve his mood. It didn't matter how rough of a day he had, because at the end he knew that Lorelai would be there, a smile on her face and a large heart, welcoming him in. Every touch made his heart race, every kiss made him wild. He appreciated her more than he appreciated any of the women in his past. His time with her, his best friend, his lover, it was limited. They hadn't had sex because both of them knew it was far too risky until they were both serious enough about the relationship to even consider being intimate. She was afraid. She had never before gone farther than a kiss with a man and part of her- or most of her- had the irrational fear that she would make a fool out of herself and he wouldn't want her anymore.

They were two parts of a whole, and Booth had every intention to show her exactly what that meant.

After a couple months of dating, he requested that she moved into his apartment because it was bigger and safer and it was easier than paying two different rents. She agreed, and moved her few possessions into his apartment. It was a big step and they were taking it fast, but it felt right.

She loved his smile. She loved the way he held her, tight enough to where she felt safe but soft enough to where she was comfortable. She loved his kind words. She loved the way he would smile every time he looked at her. She loved the way he sighed with relief after taking his suit jacket off. She loved the way he'd make suggestive comments just for the sake of making them. She loved the way he always cooked for her, because she wasn't good at cooking for herself. She loved the way he started every morning with a genuine concern about how she felt. She loved the way his brow furrowed when he was in thought. She loved the way he cared. She loved the way he loved. She loved the way his heartbeat felt beneath her. She was beginning to love him.

He loved her smile. He loved the way she refused to wear anything but dresses unless she was feeling ill. He loved the way her nose wrinkled in her sleep. He loved the way that no matter how they fell asleep, she always ended up tucked in as close to him as she could possibly manage. He loved the way she scratched her nose. He loved the way she played video games with him and watched sports with him. He loved the way she laughed. He loved the way she lit up whenever he walked in the room. He loved the way she looked when she woke up in the morning. He loved the way she held herself together when she was feeling ill. He loved the way she cared. He loved the way she loved. He loved the way her heartbeat felt beneath him. He was beginning to love her.

Their days depended on her health. When she was feeling well, they would spend their time together laughing and enjoying life. When she was feeling sick, or sad, they spent their time in bed, with him doing his best to tell her everything was okay when that voice in the back of his head said that it was not. But neither would have it any other way. No regrets. Just love.

Booth was ready to bump things up to the next level with his relationship with Lorelai. They had been living together for three or so months and he wanted to assure her that he was physically invested in her as well as emotionally. They were no stranger to kissing, of course, and he decided to bring up the subject during one of their make out sessions. Her legs were folded beneath her and she was facing him, straddling his lap. Her fingers had locked in with strands of his hair and she deepened the kiss considerably, causing him to moan into her open mouth. His grip around her waist tightened and he finally pulled away, the both of them gasping for air. A shy smile played along her lips as he placed a few kisses along her jaw, and he whispered in her ear, "Let me satisfy you."

He heard her gasp lightly as she pulled away to look him in the eyes. "But… Lee, I…"

Booth shook his head, smiling softly. He lowered his voice to a more seductive tone. "There are other ways to pleasure, Lorelai."

He admired the blush that crept across her cheeks, and she bit her lip nervously, fumbling with the collar of his shirt. He leaned forward to press another kiss to her lips, simultaneously hosting her up in his arms and carrying her into the bedroom. As he set her down on the bed, their kisses grew more urgent, more passionate, and she began to fumble with the buttons of his shirt while his lips attacked her neck. She heard her whimper softly as he hit her pulse point, and without pulling away, he tugged off his shirt and his pants, leaving himself in his boxers. He could sense her nerves, so he took the liberty of slowly sliding her dress up and over her head, dropping it off to the side. He reconnected the kiss, removing her undergarments slowly, but he quickly pulled away so his gaze could sweep her body. She was so, so thin, so frail, and he didn't think he'd ever seen anyone so delicate before in his life. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, trailing kisses down her stomach, and his hand slid up between her legs. His lips paid close attention to her breasts as his fingers slid inside of her, but admittedly he found himself quite distracted by her moans of pleasure, the way she writhed for more, the way she said his name.

Once she had been satisfied, he removed his fingers and moved back up her body, pressing passionate kisses to her lips while she recovered. He pulled away, finally, and both of them reached up to feel the heart of the other, as though they were perfectly in sync with each other. Booth beamed, drawing her close. "You're just… So beautiful," he whispered, looking her directly in the eyes. "I love you, Lorelai."

Without even having to think about it, she smiled. "I love you too, Lee."

Booth had no idea how long they just rested in silence, but it was so long that it startled him when she sat up and tugged at his boxers. "What are you doing?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

And, with a look so innocent that he swore she wasn't real, she responded, "Reciprocating."

After ages of fighting, Booth managed to convince Lorelai to let him take her to get checked out at the hospital. He held her hand for the duration of all of the tests, all of the bloodwork, and as they waited for the results, he moved up to sit beside her on the examination table just to hold her a bit closer. The doctor, a younger man, walked in with a solemn look on his face. Booth's heart clenched; luckily, Lore wasn't paying much attention to the foreshadowing.

"Miss Anchors," the doctor murmured, looking between the couple. It was never easy, having to tell someone such bad news, especially when they were with someone who so apparently loved them as much as Booth loved Lorelai. The doctor swallowed, sitting down in a chair. "The… The virus, it… It's completely taken over your immune system," he struggled, and he saw Booth's arms wrap even tighter around Lorelai's waist, protective. "If you had… It's. I'm sorry. It's too late to try any new treatment."

The doctor could see Booth growing irritated, ready to lash out. Lorelai could sense this and she rested a hand on his knee, turning around to press a soft kiss to his cheek, as though to tell him it's okay, despite the fact that she just received the news that there was nothing they could do to prevent her death. She didn't deserve this. "How much time?" she squeaked out.

The doctor fumbled with his pen for a moment. "It's… Difficult to tell. A couple of years, perhaps, if you keep up with your medication."

Booth couldn't stand to hear this. Before she could protest, Booth was to his feet, raging. Luckily enough, Lorelai had convinced him to leave his gun in the car. She could only imagine what he would've done had she not. He closed in on the doctor, seething. "What the fuck do you mean there's nothing you can do?" He snapped, "How dare you jump to that conclusion. Find something. Anything. Find it."

"Lee," Lorelai whispered, and Booth stepped back, clenching his fist before storming out of the room.

Lore winced and stood, grabbing her purse. "Thank you," she murmured to the doctor, prior to following after her boyfriend. She wasn't able to catch up with him until they reached the parking lot, where Booth slowed due to the fact that it was pouring rain. When he turned around, she saw that he was crying.

"It's not fair," he choked out, looking at her with nothing but love and adoration reflected in his eyes, "It's not… You… I want to grow old with you."

Lorelai tried to hold herself together. "I'm so sorry, Seeley."

"I just… I love you."

"I love you too."

"It's not fair."

She did her best to keep from urging that it was fair. She did something bad and she was paying the price for it- but she didn't want to make it worse. Booth choked out another sob before stepping closer to her. "Marry me."

Lorelai glanced up at him, her eyes wide. "I… What?" He was just upset, surely. She never thought that anybody would want to marry her.

He shook his head, fishing a box out of his pocket. "I've been carrying this around for a week," he murmured, flipping it open. "I want to spend every moment I can with you, Lorelai. Let's… I don't want to waste any time. There's a chapel not too far from here. Let's just go, and get married. This can be your wedding ring until we have the opportunity to get real ones. Please."

"Okay," she whispered, and both of them shared a tearful smile before they made a run for the car.

They weren't prepared. They were soaking wet from the rain, in regular street clothes, and had no vows, but that didn't matter, because they were going to spend the rest of her life together and that was all that mattered in the end. They were two halves of a whole. Absolutely, positively in love with one another. Booth swore that he'd never seen anyone so beautiful in his life, and she would say the same thing about him. As they stepped up to the altar, both dug deep down into the bottoms of their hearts. Traditional vows… They just wouldn't do.

"Lorelai. I promise to love you, forever and always. I promise to be the first thing you see when you wake up and the last thing you see when you go to sleep. I promise to stay with you, on your good days and your bad, and I promise that you'll always remember just how much you mean to me. I promise to be faithful, and I promise to follow you wherever life may take you. I promise that with Parker, we will be a family. I love you. You are… The most beautiful woman I have ever met. You're amazing with my child, you're kind, you're funny. You make me smile whenever you smile. I find it impossible to be anything but smitten when I'm around you. Lorelai… When you go, you'll take the best of me with you. Because from this moment on, you have my whole heart."

"I used to think that I'd never fall in love. I used to think that I would be alone, you know? Because I was so afraid, and sick, and I thought no one would want me. You're my best friend, Seeley. You know my secret and you stuck by me. You were there for me when I couldn't get out of bed and you didn't get mad that time I woke up really early feeling really well and I dragged you out of bed because I wanted to go ice skating. I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. I'm not afraid anymore because I know you're here. I know you'll stick by me. I promise to love you until my dying day. I promise I'll always be with you, no matter how hard things become. I promise to cherish you, to appreciate you. Because you have me, Lee. You have my heart. You are my heart. And I love you."

She gave herself to him that night, after he insisted that he loved her and didn't mind at all if she passed the disease along. Of course, the chances of contracting the disease were slimmed with the use of a condom, which helped ease their minds a bit.

Their marriage was steady. They hardly fought, knowing how precious their time was. Their first Christmas together, Rebecca had relented and allowed Parker to stay with them. She had, over time, become quite fond of Lorelai but wary about letting her in Parker's life, considering how little time she had. However, Parker was growing up and knew the situation, so Booth was able to have a bit more custody of his son than before.

Lorelai woke up to find the opposite side of the bed vacant. Her brow furrowed and she sat up, slipping a hand through her hair. She heard bustling out in the living room and threw off the covers, shuffling out. The corners of her lips tugged into a grin as she saw the sight before her. There was Booth, decorating the tree they never finished, and Parker stretched out on the couch watching some random Christmas movie that was on television. "Morning, boys," she greeted cheerfully, her stomach flipping as Booth beamed back at her.

"Morning, Lore," Parker greeted, and she ruffled his hair as she passed him. She proceeded to wrap her arms around her husband's waist, stretching up for a good morning kiss. "You woke up early," she noted, and he nodded.

"Well… I know you love Christmas, so I wanted to decorate," he explained sheepishly. He really just wanted to give her everything she wanted in life, and a Christmas tree was simple enough.

She smiled, tightening her grip around him. "Do you need any help?'

He shook his head. "Everything's done. I think it's time to open presents, don't you think."

Lorelai nodded, and Parker sat up, now interested in the Christmas festivities. The exchange was small, with just the three of them, and once Parker had opened all of his things he thanked the two and returned to his bedroom. He was getting to that "I want to be alone" age- they both decided not to fight it.

"I have one last thing for you," Booth murmured, pressing a light kiss to her neck and pulling her onto his lap. She grinned back at him, scrunching her nose playfully. "You didn't have to get me this much, Lee. I'm happy just with you, y'know."

"Yeah, I know," he smiled, pulling out a long box, "But I felt this was important."

Inside was a gold locket, shaped like a heart. When she opened it, a picture of the two of them rested on one side and a picture of her with Parker as on the other. She examined it closely, biting her lip, and she felt Booth's lips on her ear. "I told you that you had my heart," he murmured, "And I meant it."

She fought to keep healthy, but it was getting harder and harder. Lorelai continued to have bad days that just kept getting worse and Booth had no idea what he was going to do. About one month prior to their third wedding anniversary, she announced that she was pregnant. Both of them, though they had always wanted a child of their own, had taken great precautions against it. Booth always wore a condom and was tested once every six months to make sure he didn't contract the virus. Both were hesitant about kids because they knew she wouldn't be around for much of the child's life, and they were afraid that the child would be born with the disease. Still, they embraced the news, at least at first; however, during her second trimester, the doctor said that she would be unable to support the baby in her condition.

To top it all off, the pregnancy weakened her already weak immune system, and Lorelai caught the flu from playing her banjo out in the cold weather.

Booth walked in to find her violently trembling, and had taken her immediately to the hospital. Due to Lorelai's health and the little chance the baby would survive, she had to undergo surgery to abort the child (against her will) to increase her chances for survival. It was too late. "Just a few more days," he murmured darkly to Booth, who had demanded that he be told every bit about his wife's condition. Five words made his entire world crash.

Just a few more days.

Parker and Rebecca had come to visit, both doing their best to remain optimistic. They were praying, praying that a miracle would occur, and both left the hospital urging, "I'll see you soon, Lorelai. I promise." That was one promise that everyone knew wouldn't be kept.

Booth never left her bedside, no matter how much she urged him that he needed to go get something to eat, or he needed to sleep, or he needed to shower. All of those were trivial things needed for survival, when really, he didn't care if he survived at all. She was his life, and when she was gone, so was his heart. She had lost a dangerous amount of weight during the course of her hospital stay and was far too weak. She could hardly move, so he did everything for her. He felt it was his responsibility to keep her alive. She was his world, and he needed to protect it. He tried his best to ignore the signs. The way she couldn't keep down food, the way she always slept restlessly, the way she could barely squeeze his hand.

Her last hour was evident when she murmured the words, "Lee, I'll be okay."

He froze, giving her hand another stroke with his thumb. 'Okay' would mean that she were at home. 'Okay' meant that she would remain alive, with him, in his arms, forever. She was most certainly not okay. His eyes filled with tears as he watched her lay before him, weak, fragile. She had given up, and was asking him to do the same. She was asking him to let her go. But how could he do that? She was his world. His love. His wife. His best friend. The second mother to his child. She was everything. And she wanted him to let her go, wanted him to allow her to leave him alone in the world. How could she ask him to do that?

Always intuitive of him, she swallowed with difficulty and licked her lips. "I love you."

Silent tears began to roll down his cheeks. "I love you too, Lorelai. I always will."

It was tough for her to speak, but she took a deep breath, anyways, and began. "I know you'll be okay, y'know? Without me."

"I won't."

"You will. You were fine before."

"Because I didn't know I could be any better."

Slowly, she reached for his hand and brought it up to her heart. He did the same with hers, before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. Their hands remained when he leaned back, just taking in the feel of each other's heart beats.

He counted. One, two, three.

After what seemed like too short of a time, he felt her loosen her grip on his shirt and her heart beat slowed. Slowed. Stopped.

Booth's mind was sent into overdrive and he slammed on the button calling for the nurse, repeating her name over and over again. "Lorelai," he sobbed, choking back tears as he grabbed at her hand, praying to a God that, for the first time, he was beginning to doubt.

But just as quickly as she had come into his life, she was gone. And that was that.

The funeral was arranged for five days after her death, and Booth had hardly spoken a word to anyone. He slept on the couch because he couldn't stand sleeping in their bed without his other half, without his heart. He disconnected himself with the world, clinging onto the locket. The one shred of good left in his life, with the exception of Parker, who had respectively given his father space. The funeral went by smoothly, and Booth had respectively given a speech, though choked up halfway through and was unable to finish.

The ceremony at the cemetery ticked by slowly, until finally, the only one left to say a final goodbye was Booth. The casket sat perched next to the dug grave, and with a shaky hand, he placed the locket on top with all of the flowers. For the first time, he opened his mouth to willingly speak.

"I always believed there was a reason for everything," he murmured, mostly to God, rather than his late wife, "But you didn't have a reason for this, did you? You did this… Because you could. Because you thought she deserved it. Is that what you did? Because it's not right. It's… She should be here. Alive, beside me. Holding my hand. I don't know who you're playing at, but it isn't right."

He paused. "I meant it when I said 'forever', Lore. I love you."

And with a nod to the priest, they lowered the casket down into the grave. It was only when he heard a dull 'thud' that he accepted her departure, and he began to weep.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: TOTALLY JUST FIGURED OUT I SWITCHED POV'S LAST CHAPTER. I AM QUITE SORRY. I always do that but then I usually catch it… I'm really sorry, guys. A friend pointed it out to me. I should start proofreading.

Wow, guys! Thanks for the responses to last chapter! They made me smile. (:

I have to admit, I cried a bit while writing it, but that's probably because the three OC's that I used here are all reoccurring characters of mine that I've grown sort of attached to. If people didn't seem to have such an aversion to OC's, I'd probably have written about fifty fictions with them in it. Haha.

In regards to BellBones' comment, all I'm going to say is that I respect your input but I've thought everything out. It'll be okay, yo. I've got it covered. Give it some time.

Due to the lack of responses, I'm going to assume that I shouldn't bring Mimi back in, and I think I know how Seth's going to leave, but he'll be around for awhile. I hope you all like him, haha. Also, Lorelai is going to be heavily referenced. Booth is going to fall for Brennan again, I assure you, but Lore is still going to be a huge factor in everything, despite her passing. Booth has a hard time letting go of things and this is no exception.

I hope you all forgive me for the angst. I plan to satisfy with enough fluff later down the line, hopefully. Until then… I hope you like Brennan/Seth fluff, because I'll toss a lot of that in. ;D

Super short chapter to offset the really long chapter four. I know what I want to do to start next chapter, though, hence why I stopped it where I did.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

Six months. Twenty days. Three hours. Nine minutes.

Seeley Booth often found himself counting the amount of time, down to the precise minute, he had been without Lorelai in his life. She'd already missed so much. Parker's High School graduation, a friend's wedding, Rebecca's big impressive job promotion. He could feel his late wife, of course, all around him; but she wasn't there, physically. He couldn't hold her, or hear her voice, or anything. He could only mourn, dream, remember.

And suddenly, with Parker in college all the way in Virginia, Booth didn't have much reason to remain in New York City.

He'd made the arrangements, and the FBI willingly transferred him back to Washington D.C., even if he wasn't sure he still wanted to be an agent. Everything seemed so much darker in the world. Dealing with murder just made him tired, now, and he didn't have the drive he used to have. But he was told that regaining a sense of normalcy would help, and he would definitely find that in D.C.

Not that anything was actually the same.

Almost ten years ago, he'd picked up and moved out of Washington D.C. His problems then seemed so small compared to the pain he felt now. But now he was returning, to the group of people he hadn't spoken to in a decade, and part of him expected them just to welcome him in with open arms. He knew it wouldn't be that simple, but for once, it was just nice to pretend.

Like the time he woke up sans memory after his coma, his attire was completely plain; a suit, yes, but he nixed the cocky belt buckle and the crazy socks. Lorelai took that side of him with her when she left. He strolled into the Jeffersonian, case file tucked under his arm, and paused to just take in the place. None of the squints knew he was coming- hell, he didn't know who was here and who wasn't.

He heard a squeal from the platform, and saw a whoosh of long, black hair before a feminine frame crashed into him. Booth chuckled darkly and hugged Angela in return, pressing a friendly kiss to her cheek. "Hey," he greeted, feigning some sense of cheeriness as his old friend beamed at him.

"Booth! You came to visit," she cooed, obviously excited.

"Actually, I'm back for good," he murmured, glancing up to see that Hodgins and Clark had turned to assess him curiously. "Transferred back a few days ago. I wanted to surprise you, though."

Angela, obviously eager, pulled him in for a hug yet again. "Great! You're going to love being back, Booth. It's like nothing's changed." Except everything had. "Look, Cam and Hodgins and me and Brennan and Clark and Wyatt are still here. And Daisy and Sweets are married, and my daughter, Madeline, she's ten now. But you'll love her, Booth. She's heard all about her uncle Agent Studly." Grinning, she tugged on his sleeve, pulling him further into the building.

At least Angela was still the same, he noted.

"Have you talked to Brennan yet?"

Booth paused and shook his head. "No, I uh, haven't. But I was just coming to see her." He held up the case file, smiling slightly.

Angela nodded. "There's something you should know." She paused, momentarily. "I should probably let her tell you, but I think it's best if I warn you. Brennan… Is engaged to be married. To a really good guy."

Booth paused- Bones? Engaged? The Bones he knew couldn't open herself up to a can of tomatoes, let alone a guy. "Huh," he murmured curiously, glancing up at Bones' office before back at Angela, who was smiling brightly at him.

"You have a ring on your finger."

He looked down. Sure enough, he hadn't removed his wedding ring, and still had no plans to. But he also didn't feel like explaining, so he nodded, and Angela beamed. "Oh my God. Is it Hannah?" Booth shook his head. "Anyone I know?" He shook his head again. "Ah, mystery woman. Well, I'll find out about her later. Go see Brennan. You two have a lot of catching up to do."

Booth forced a smile and walked the familiar path to his old partner's office. Angela watched as Booth disappeared behind the corner, before her eyes widened and she bolted past the others and straight into Cam's office. "Cam," she said hurriedly, "Cam, Cam, Cam. We have a problem. A huge problem."

Cam looked up from her computer, startled. "Did Hodgins eat another bug on a dare?" she questioned, though relaxed when Angela shook her head.

"Booth is here."

Cam tensed up again. Seeley Booth, the man who had just walked out of their lives like nothing had ever happened? She shook her head, sighing softly. "What is he doing here?"

"He's back," Angela sighed, eying the door momentarily, "And I'm happy to see him, but…"

"Dr. Brennan is engaged."

"Booth is married."

"To Hannah?"

"No, to a mystery woman."

The two shared a look of tension, fueled by the oddness of the situation. "Where is he now?"

"Going to see Brennan."

"Does she know…?"

Angela sighed. "No."

Camille rose to her feet, poking her head out the door. "How is Booth doing?" she asked, straightening out her clothes.

Angela shrugged. "He seems a bit off, but he's probably just adjusting to being back. He'll warm up eventually." After a pause, she added, "Hey… Didn't Seth get here earlier?"

Cam paused, closing her eyes. "Yes. He said he was spending some time in Brennan's office. Said he was going to try to get her to sleep."

"Which means…"

"They're probably having sex."

"Do you think Booth will have the decency to knock?"

Cam chuckled slightly. "Probably not."

Booth paused outside the door, considering precisely how to greet her. After all, they hadn't so much as spoken in two whole years. Their last encounter included a fight and dreadful things were said. He never thought he'd be in this position again, so he had to be careful with how he approached it. However, gentle voices met his ears first, and he slipped inside the ajar door, pausing with confusion at the scene before him.

Bones was curled up on the couch with a man he'd never seen before. This man wasn't usually Bones' type; tall, scrawny, had a nerdy look to him but didn't seem nerdy at all. They were both stretched on the couch, one of his arms wrapped around her as she cuddled up against him. He was rubbing his finger along the engagement ring on her finger.

"Bren," the stranger whispered, grinning softly, "Just take a nap. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Don't wanna sleep," Temperance murmured sleepily, though contradicted herself by hugging him closer. "There's… Ancient remains in limbo."

"They will be just as ancient tomorrow," he smiled, slipping his hands through her hair.

"Why does everyone always say that?" she huffed, and he laughed, watching her with an adoring look in his eyes.

"Because it's true," he grinned, "Now go to sleep."

"Seth," she whined, though she smiled nevertheless, bringing herself closer into her fiancé. "I don't want to sleep."

"I do this because I love you."

"I love you too."

"Then sleep."

"Whether I sleep or not has no affect on my feelings for you."

"No, but I still want you to sleep."

The two shared a chuckle before Booth decided he couldn't stand there and watch it anymore. Had Lorelai been there, she would have been curled up on him the exact same way- it made him physically sick. "Bones," he barked, simply, and he watched as the woman laying on the couch tensed while the man, confused, peered back to look at him.

"We got a case."


	6. Chapter 6

"Booth, you insufferable… Bastard!"

It was as though they had never missed a beat- at least where arguing was concerned. There were no awkward pauses, no questions. Immediately, the two had launched into one of their infamous bickering matches, though this one was heated and backed by genuine anger. Brennan was on her feet, and Booth watched as Seth followed close behind her. All he could do was wait- this man was obviously an idiot. In two seconds, Bones would clock him; she needed her space when she was pissed off. But to his surprise, Seth grasped Brennan's hand and pulled it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. She softened, lacing her fingers through his. Seth always knew how to calm her down. He smiled and bent down to whisper something in her ear.

"Hey, Buddy," Booth started up again, "Keep it in your pants. Bones has to work now."

Seth, always protective of his beloved (though never threatening) opened his mouth to protest but was cut short by Temperance's death grip on his hand. "Do not talk to him like that, Booth," she snarled, "You don't know him and I don't think I even know who you are anymore. You do not have the authority to waltz in here- without even knocking!- after ten years."

Seth coughed, not registering her words due to the pain her grip was causing. "Bren. Darling… Temperance, ah, okay. Love, I need those fingers for sex." She cast him a guilty-esque look as she loosened her grip.

Booth wasn't a fan of this guy, nor their display of affection. He didn't like watching anyone love someone else, really. He knew he was being an ass. But watching them reminded him of how Lorelai could always calm him down with just a smile. He could almost imagine her beside him, hand covering his and whispering that she loved him in his ear. His heart gave a painful thud and he sighed. "Plenty of time for sex later. Bones, c'mon, before the forensics team messes up the scene. I know you hate that."

"Don't call me 'Bones'," Temperance snapped. Looking for comfort, she stepped back against Seth and reached for his arms, pulling them around her. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, closing her eyes. She didn't even care that Booth was in their midst. Seth took this as his cue and picked his head up, smiling slightly. He extended a hand in the other's direction. "I… I'm Seth," he greeted, "And… You must be Booth. Temperance has told me a lot about you. How long have you been back?" Brennan glanced down to twist her engagement ring around her finger, as though flashing a warning to Booth. 'Be nice, or I'll kill you.'

Message received.

Booth sighed again, stepping forward to shake Seth's hand. "Not long," he murmured, "And I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth. Call me Booth. How long have you been together?"

Seth beamed. Most of the room's tension eased. "Oh, goodness." He tightened his grip around his fiancé. "How long has it been, Love? Seven years, now? Just a few more months until the wedding." He chuckled and pressed a kiss to Brennan's temple.

Booth cocked an eyebrow, before realizing that not everyone was in the hurry that he was to get married. Lorelai was running out of time even before they met. Temperance would live a long, healthy life, and he assumed the same of Seth. They had as long as they wanted. They were together, that was what really mattered. He seemed to soften considerably, smiling slightly at the pair. "Congratulations, Temperance." Maybe he should wait awhile to call her 'Bones' again. "And same to you, Seth. I'm happy you two found each other."

Brennan opened her eyes suspiciously, glancing at Booth as she waited for the catch. When none came, she slowly parted ways with her fiancé, sitting down behind her desk. "Where is the body?" she asked, typing something on her laptop before shutting it down.

Booth glanced down at the case file. "At a mall, about an hour away from here. I was thinking we could… You know, head up together, and talk."

Brennan hesitated, then relented. "That would seem to be a healthy idea. Seth, I'll probably be up late examining the body. You know, my usual case schedule. Don't wait up."

Seth chuckled, swinging around to press a passionate kiss to her lips, which she eagerly returned. "Alright, Darling. But you know I can't sleep without you anyways, so I'll probably cook some dinner and stash it in the fridge for when you come home. But remember- if you're here until midnight like last time, I'm dragging you home myself."

She smiled, rolling her eyes playfully. "You always say that, but then you come and we bicker and we end up having sex in my office."

"I'm not complaining."

She laughed, stepping in for a hug before grabbing her things. "I'll see you later, Seth."

Booth watched the exchange curiously, his eyebrow cocked. Things had definitely changed. He wasn't sure what else he was expecting; a large part of him wanted to come back and act like everything after their one year sabbaticals had never happened. Yet here they were. Two people who had once known each other, now complete strangers. She was happy, he was not. It was like the roles were reversed, and now he was in the passenger's seat, waiting for something good to fall into his lap, and ready to push it away when it finally did.

He waved goodbye to Seth and took a few steps closer to Brennan, plastering on a small smile. "So… Long time, no see."

B&B&B&B&B

The car ride to the crime scene had been casual. There were awkward moments, of course, but mostly both just spoke of the lesser things that filled their time during those ten years. Brennan spoke of her trips, and some of her findings, while Booth animatedly talked his way through Parker's accomplishments and some of the more fascinating cases he dealt with up in New York. Both steered clear with talks of their relationships, if only because they knew it would launch them into a conversation that neither of them wanted to have. It was inevitable, of course; so inevitable, that five minutes into the car ride back to the Jeffersonian, an unease had settled between them and she piped up, "So how's Hannah?"

Booth sighed. "Why does everyone think I'm with Hannah?"

Brennan furrowed her brow. "Well… You left, with Hannah, for New York. And you loved her, and you have a ring on your finger, signifying that you're married. Angela told me that she thought you would still be with her, because you moved for her. I, apparently, am not so… Knowledgeable when it comes to relationships so I've learned to listen to Angela. She was the one who persuaded me to be with Seth, so I think that makes her… Qualified, because I'm happy. And she said you were probably married to Hannah."

He chuckled dryly. "First of all, I moved to New York because Rebecca took Parker, and I wasn't about to be away from my son," he clarified, "And second… I'm not married to Hannah."

She gestured, confused, to the ring on his finger. "Then who are you married to? Is it somebody I know?"

He focused on the road. "It's, uh." He should have just come clean. He was married. She died. He couldn't get over it. But that would have been too simple, too logical. So instead, he shrugged his shoulder. "Her name is Lorelai. You wouldn't know her."

"Oh." She nodded slightly, musing over her next question. "Is she settling into Washington D.C. nicely?"

She can't. She's six feet under, back in New York. "Yeah, she loves it. It's a new environment, you know? New set of people. She loves people. She's probably out.. Playing her banjo on the street somewhere. She likes to do that, even though I told her how dangerous it was."

"Is she anything like Hannah?" Brennan quipped, pure curiosity driving her speech at this point.

"Nah," Booth responded, "She's… She's kind hearted. And she's quiet, and lovely."

Temperance furrowed her brow. "She doesn't sound like she's your type."

"She is," he snapped, perhaps a bit more sharp than he intended.

"Will she be coming around the lab, or maybe your office anytime soon? I'd like to meet her." Brennan smiled, and he knew she was being friendly, but the conversation was tugging uncomfortably on his heartstrings. He merged onto the highway, and shook his head.

"I don't think so, Bones."

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence passed between them, until Booth cleared his throat, eager to get the subject off of him. "So, how did you and Seth meet?"

Temperance perked up at that. "Angela introduced us. He was working at this… This coffee shop, and she took me, and we became friends. He kept asking me out but I was… Afraid, so I kept saying no, but eventually I said yes, and… It's been amazing. He's amazing. I never thought I'd love someone like him but he's very surprising. The only place he's ever aggressive is in bed and he's also very creative. And I know he's going to make an amazing husband and father because he's great with Angela and Hodgins' daughter. I know you don't like him, but you will. I've found that most people eventually like him."

He chuckled at her enthusiasm, smiling over at her. "I'm happy for you, Bones." And he was.

B&B&B&B&B

The following night, Angela and Cam threw a "welcome back" party for Booth at the Founding Fathers- a casual gathering where only alcohol kept the tension away. It was obvious that he was not the same man he once was, but then again, all of them had changed. They were all getting to know Booth again just like he was getting to know them, and it was going to be a process. They all attempted to persuade him to bring his wife, but instead of an "I can't", he said, "She has to drive back to New York to give the house key to the new owners." They bought it, because really, who would lie about being married?

Seeley fucking Booth, that was who.

He spent the majority of the night avoiding Angela, who had gotten ahold of the picture he had of Lorelai in his wallet and wouldn't leave him alone about his beautiful mystery wife, and was eventually roped into a long, intricate conversation with Sweets and some of the squints about Batman. He spent quite awhile catching up with his old friends, trying to regain a sense of normalcy.

B&B&B&B&B

A/N: I know, guys. I'm sorry for the delay. But… Merry Christmas?

Happy Holidays?

Whatever offends less.

Obviously Booth and Bones are going to need to have a little chat soon about some stuff, uh oh.

But first, Booth is going to have to come clean about the Lorelai deal.

I already know how that's going to happen.

ALSO, GUYS, OKAY.

So, I'm too lazy to figure out the timing of everything, because I don't remember what I said.

So here's what I'm… Making things.

It's six months after Lorelai's death.

The one year anniversary of her death is just a few days after Brennan's wedding.

LET'S GO WITH THAT.I'm sorry that I fail.


	7. Chapter 7

"It's just weird, Sweetie."

Brennan rolled her eyes as she watched Angela pace about her office as she sat still behind her computer. She had long since abandoned hope of cranking out another chapter or two of her novel, as Angela obviously had other plans concerning the situation of Booth's return. "How is it weird, Angela? It's perfectly acceptable for a person to keep their personal life and their work life separate. I used to do that, remember? I would still do that if Seth didn't insist on coming around so often. I'm sure Booth and Lorelai just have an understanding."

"But don't you remember Hannah?" Angela pointed out, stopping in her tracks and eying Temperance exhaustedly. The artist always had a second nature when it came to reading people, particularly in the romance area, and she sensed that something was up. She was just frustrated that she couldn't figure out what it was. "She was always around. Even Booth couldn't keep her away. She was always involved."

"Booth informed me that Lorelai is nothing like Hannah," Brennan reasoned, leaning back in her chair, "By the way he spoke of her, she is much more reserved than the past women in his life. He speaks very highly of her so that must be his 'type' of woman now. I've never met her but she seems like she's good for him."

Angela scoffed. "Oh, c'mon, Bren. Have you looked at Booth lately? He's not the same man he was when he left."

Temperance laughed, mostly out of bitterness. "Angie, c'mon. Booth hadn't been Booth since Afghanistan. Hannah changed him and then who the hell knows what changed him after her. We don't know what happened. You can't go judging his wife because Booth is… Booth."

Angela sighed, crashing down onto the couch. "It's just… I don't like it, Bren. I have a funny feeling about this whole situation. I wish Booth had never left."

Temperance shrugged slightly. "It's my fault." And it was. There was no use dwelling on the "what if's". Everything that happened, happened because of her rejection. If she had gone with the moment, things would be a lot different. But she would have never met Seth, she was sure. She would never be engaged, in love with such an amazing guy. She would have probably still been tangoing with Booth, because God knows they couldn't gather their shit together enough no matter what happened.

"What do you mean?"

The bridge of her nose wrinkled in distaste. She hadn't told Angela much of anything about what really happened between her and Booth. Angela still thought it was pure sexual tension. Brennan sighed and rose to her feet, settling down on the other end of the couch. "Some things happened."

Angela's demeanor changed completely. "Brennan. No."

"Yeah." She nodded her head uneasily, biting her lip. "It's all a little humiliating, though… Which is why I kept it quiet."

"Sweetie, I'm about to get really mad at you," Angela groaned, crossing her arms. "Spill."

Temperance delved into the entire story, beginning from her first case with Booth up until her declaration of love in the car. By the end, if it were physically possible, she would have sworn that the woman seated across from her was about to explode. Angela shook her head, finally. "I'm disappointed that you kept that all from me, Bren. That's… Huge."

The anthropologist shrugged, looking down at her lap. "I didn't… I mean, I guess I just didn't want to admit I had a problem with Booth. But you know everything that happened with Seth. I promise."

Angela sighed, judging how worth it getting mad at her best friend would be. Obviously, what happened between them was in the past. She had once been an advocate of Brennan and Booth being involved romantically, but after Seth came into the picture, she was dreading the thought that something could happen. But it didn't matter, really- Booth was married, supposedly happily, and Angela had never seen Brennan smile so much. She was happy. She went home to a man who held her when she wanted to be held and made love to her when she wanted. She was his entire world and that was exactly what Temperance needed; Angela would never wish for that to end.

And so, with that, the artist gathered her friend into a hug. "It doesn't matter anymore, Sweetie. I wish you would have told me, but… That's in the past, I guess. But I need to know one thing." Temperance pulled out of the embrace as Angela continued, "Are you having any doubts about Seth?"

There was no hesitation when the word "no" left her lips.

B&B&B&B&B&B

A knock on the door aroused Sweets' attention, and curiously, he called, "come in."

To his astonishment, Booth slipped into the room, closing the door securely behind him. He looked hesitant, a little scared, but he continued into the room anyways, sinking down into the couch. The two sat in silence for a few moments before the FBI agent swept a hand over his face, momentarily rubbing the stubble on his chin. "Can I talk to you? About my wife?"

Ah. Marriage problems. "You mean gorgeous mystery woman?" Sweets responded, beaming. "Yeah, I'm all ears."

Booth wasn't amused. "She was beautiful."

Sweets' face fell. Past tense.

"I met her in a coffee shop, and… God, I thought she was about to jump out of her skin when I first started to talk to her. She was so afraid of everything. But then, y'know… I got to know her, and she relaxed. And she was so charming, Sweets. You would've loved her. Even Rebecca loved her. She just had this… This smile, and this laugh, and you forgot that there was… Anything wrong with the world. She was so innocent, and she was mine. All mine, Sweets. And I felt… I felt like the luckiest guy in the world. But she had AIDS. Y'know, some mistakes in High School… Just a few mistakes, and she's gone. And it's not fair, because if there's anyone in this world who deserves to be alive right now, it's her. It's her, Sweets."

The psychologist swallowed harshly. "Agent Booth, I'm so-"

"I can't do this," Booth said, cutting him off, "I can't… Tell people. I can't handle it. I can't accept it."

Sweets nodded gravely. "You told me, just now."

Booth hesitated, then decided to crack a joke. "You're only half a person, really."

Sweets grinned. "Ah, a joke about my age. I'm older now, Agent Booth."

The dread between them settled again as Booth nodded, knowingly. "I feel bad for lying to everyone," he muttered, running a hand through his hair, "But I don't know what to do. I can't… I can't… God, everyone just keeps asking to meet her but I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready to tell everyone the truth."

Sweets bit his lip, thinking. "It's okay, Agent Booth. Your secret's safe with me. When you're ready to tell everyone, you will."

He nodded, then leaned back in his seat.

B&B&B&B&B&B

Brennan had called Seth ahead of time to let him know that she wouldn't be home for dinner. As always, the lights were out when she stepped inside the apartment, and she tip toed her way to the bedroom so she wouldn't wake her fiancé. She was almost a little disappointed that Seth didn't wait up for her, like he sometimes had the habit of doing despite the fact that she constantly urged him not to- but she really could've used a cuddle.

But Seth never disappointed. Not really.

She crawled into bed carefully, and heard a sleepy male voice mumble, "finally." She chuckled softly, the corners of her lips quipping up into a loving smile as her fingers ran through his hair. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her up against him, almost as though she were a teddy bear. She fit easily into his grasp, tangling her legs with his. Quickly, their lips found each other and they kissed for a few long seconds before he rolled over so he was hovering on top of her.

Brennan laughed. "Sweetheart, you're so tired."

Seth shook his head, dropping down to press a few kisses to her neck. "Mm, but I miss you," he whispered, nipping at her skin.

After all was set and done, with Seth snoozing gently beside him, Temperance took a moment to reflect; no, she certainly had no doubts at all.

B&B&B&B&B&B

A/N: Sorry, guys. I've been so tired lately. So, so tired.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey guys. I sort of lost muse lately, due to some personal issues I've been going through, but due to a few recent reviews I've received, I decided to try and pick this back up again. I apologize.

People keep throwing fits about the age thing so I'm going to go ahead and say something that people aren't going to like. Due to the fact that I can, I'm going to assume that they're currently thirty five years old. Is that at all accurate? No, but I'm going to go ahead and do that anyways because I think people will prefer that to BB!aged forty. Sorry.

There's a lot of curiosity as to how Seth and Brennan are going to split, and I haven't figured out the exact details (or if I did, I don't remember, haha). I am, however, 89.3% positive that it will not have to do with Booth. I think that will please some and upset others, however my mind set for that is I don't want people to blame Booth and pin him as the "bad guy" again, nor do I think that it will be easy for them to settle into an honest relationship when they're so much surrounded by drama. I do, however, think it will be INFLUENCED by Booth. You'll see what I mean.

So! Without further ado, I hope this chapter will be good enough to where you'll all forgive me for my ridiculously long hiatus. (:

And I promise to start proofreading because I keep making silly mistakes and it's annoying when I read back through after publishing it.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

The minute Angela realized that Brennan had not yet begun the search for a wedding dress, she kicked start the wedding plans into motion. From that point on, Temperance was swamped, what with balancing her work (which was now heavy with murder cases), her wedding, and her fiancé. Seth was more than understanding, of course. He loved her and was engrossed in his own life as well, but they were always sure to make time for each other at night.

Booth was a little discouraged that his partner was no longer willing to stay up all night at the lab to solve a case, but he supposed that was due to the fact that he just didn't like that she had someone to go home to and he did not. It was selfish, he knew, and it was payback for all of those times he pinned her with more work so he could go home and see Hannah. But he just had trouble accepting it. For the most part, they were, once again, Booth and Bones. They had regained the dynamic that both of them cherished so much, and the only thing that was different was Seth. That wasn't a completely bad thing- Booth had come to befriend Seth, despite their rocky start. They had a "bromance", as Angela once labeled it, and often times went out for drinks while Booth waited for necessary word from the lab. Booth could tell that Seth was good for Brennan. Seth was different- he didn't know a whole lot about sports but he cared and that, he supposed, was what Temperance needed. He was happy for her, but he found that his mood was lessening as the wedding date approached. Perhaps it was just a reminder of his own loneliness, or perhaps it was because of the memories of what they had when both of them were out of relationships, but it was a little difficult to accept.

Brennan, on the other hand, who usually fled at the first sign of commitment due to her own fears, was getting more and more excited by the day. She didn't believe in marriage, really- she wasn't sure how things between her and Seth would really change after the day, but his excitement was really starting to rub off on her. She realized that it was at least important to him and that there would be an extravagant ceremony where he'd insist on dancing with her, and she knew that no matter what happened, he'd make it one of the best nights of her life, even if she didn't believe in the practice.

On one particular night, however, Seth was pretty caught up in a paper he had to write, so Brennan had agreed to go ahead and give him some quiet until around eleven. He protested, at first, arguing that he "had a better work ethic when she was naked beside him", but she knew he was just horny and instead arranged for drinks with Booth. They only had done this a few times since Booth's return almost six months ago, and both were pretty excited to get some time alone with their friendship.

It had, after all, been strained. Sure, they had their same dynamic, but Temperance was rather preoccupied and Booth was quite busy himself hiding the truth about his wife. No one had come to visit him at his apartment. He talked about Lorelai like she was still around when anyone would ask. All of them suspected something was up but no one dared to take a guess- it was all too bizarre and uncharacteristic behavior from Booth. Sweets did his best to herd away some of the questions, too, which Seeley was grateful for.

The Founding Fathers was busy, as it usually was at this time of night, and Brennan and Booth took their usual spots at the bar. Both opted to start the night with a glass of wine, teasingly toasting their partnership before diving into a light hearted conversation.

By the time they left, it was nearing midnight and both were borderline drunk. Booth offered to walk her home, which Brennan gracefully accepted. He looped his arm around her waist to help keep them both upright.

"Booth," Temperance chuckled, clinging onto his shoulder as they shuffled down the side walk, "Do you like Seth?"

"Booones," he mocked, snickering, then added, "I do, I do. He's a swell guy."

"Did you just say swell?" Naturally, that was the funniest thing in the world. "You wanna know how else that word can be used to describe him?"

He snorted. "I can use my imagination for that one, Bones."

She nudged him. "You sure? I'm not so sure. You could not possibly perceive the length of his-"

He poked her three times in the side, quickly, to shush her. Ticklish, she leapt to the side, giggling. "Booth! That was mean." She pushed him, so in retaliation, he quickly grabbed her sides and tickled her. They persisted this game for quite some time until a tall, scrawny figure rounded the corner, unintentionally interrupting the moment.

Seth bit his lip, uncomfortable, with a bag containing a tub of ice cream in one hand and his other stuffed into his coat pocket. Brennan stopped, naturally, and Booth looked almost guilty. "Hey, Seth."

"Hey guys," he responded, albeit a little awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with his unoccupied hand. "Sorry, I was just, uh, making a few stops, taking a break and all."

Brennan just laughed, stumbling forward and into Seth's arms. Booth shifted uncomfortably at the sudden rush of cold occupying the space where she had been just moments previous. Seth embraced his love, however, pressing a light kiss to her temple. "You're drunk," he observed with an amused smirk. "I should get you home, right?"

"Booth was just taking me there," she responded, "But you can take me the rest of the way."

Seth glanced up at Booth, smiling amicably. There was no reason to be concerned, surely. "Booth, do you want help getting home?"

Solemn, Booth shook his head. "Nah, I'll be fine. But thanks."

"And thank you for getting her back safely," Seth smiled, shifting so his embrace around her was even more secure. "I really appreciate it."

"Bye, Booth," Brennan waved, tugging slightly on Seth's arm.

"See ya, Seth. Bones."

And with that, they parted ways.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

In the morning, Temperance woke with a splitting headache and nausea. She groaned, turning over so she could shield her eyes from the harsh morning sunlight, and only then did she notice the unoccupied space beside her. She whined softly, bracing herself to shout, "Seth!"

She swore that, sometimes, he had super speed.

Before she knew it, Seth was by her side with a glass of water and an Aspirin, smiling sympathetically down at her. "Morning Sweetheart," he whispered smoothly, dropping a soft kiss to her lips, "Hangover?"

She nodded, and he helped her sit up long enough to take the medicine. He tried to help her back down, but she protested, "I have to go to work."

Seth shook his head. "I already sent Cam a text. She says that you should just come in late."

Groaning, Brennan let her head fall back down to the pillow, but she was still too stubborn to go down without a fight. "I need to go into the lab, though."

"Cam says they have everything handled, and that you can take a few hours off. Or a whole day, even! We can cuddle all day."

Temperance bit her lip, and Seth climbed into bed beside her, gathering her up in a hug. "Promise you'll stay with me?" she asked quietly. Smiling, he just kissed her in response.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

A few blocks away, Booth awoke alone with a slight headache and a screaming conscious. After getting ready, he jumped into his car and drove to see the one person he knew could help make the pain less prominent.


	9. Chapter 9

He was on the road before eight, but he didn't reach his destination until one. He'd turned off his cell phone roughly around eleven to avoid the influx of calls his cell phone was receiving, because quite frankly, he didn't give a shit about anything else right now. He knew it was selfish and he knew that the Jeffersonian would not be happy that he was skipping out on them, but they could handle it for a day. They'd figure out that he just wanted some privacy and go back to their Squinty things while he dealt with his own life. There were things Booth needed to deal with that he couldn't in New York City. Things were getting out of hand- the more he lied about Lorelai, the more he was starting to believe himself. It was scary, how when he told them that he was going to go home and make her dinner, how for a split second he felt a pang of excitement in the pit of his stomach at going home and seeing her smile and sit at the counter while he fixed pasta. He remembered how much she appreciated everything he did. How he could always feel her smile under his kiss, or how she'd automatically curl up closer to him in his embraces. And it was the small things like the look on her face when she took the first bite of whatever he made, and how happy it made her, even if it wasn't very good or if he'd made the same dish a billion times. And he was starting to go home with the idea in the back of his mind that he would cook and have that same feeling again- it was only when he walked inside of an empty apartment, clothes and case files tossed nonchalantly around because he just couldn't care anymore, that he had to remind himself that he would never get that back again. Things like that scared him. Knowing there were times that he had to remind himself were frightening. It had to stop.

In all honesty, Booth hadn't visited her since the burial. It was wrong, he knew that, for all the times he'd preached about needing to go and say things for closure. But he wasn't sure what to say. That he'd lost his faith in God after her death? That he'd been lying to his friends about her? That he hated himself for not being able to protect her like he should have been? It was funny, almost. It was his job to catch the bad guys. The murderers. And there was nothing he wanted more than to catch Lorelai's killer. He wanted to take it and beat it into a pulp until it was quivering and bloody in the streets, left to die. But he couldn't. That was the one thing he couldn't do. He couldn't find the cure for AIDS, and it wasn't tangible enough for him to beat it up, and there was no one else he could place the blame on for her death. The people who gave her those first needles, perhaps. The ones who passed her that joint even when they saw that (surely) obvious look of hesitancy in her eyes. They should have known that she wasn't the kind. Lorelai couldn't act. But she couldn't say no, either, which she supposed was what really got her. So maybe he should go do some digging and figure out who first got her hooked. Or who else had the AIDS that passed it on to her- but they would certainly be dead by now, and if they weren't, then that really wasn't fair. Maybe he could kill the doctors who didn't work hard enough, who didn't give her their full attention, but then the rational part of his brain reminded him that they did all they could, but that it was far too late. When he remembered those final moments in the hospital, all he could do was think about how useless he felt. How cold she felt. And how much he wanted to rewind his life.

He pulled up to the edge of the grass at the cemetery and slipped from the car. It was crisp out, but warm enough to where he wasn't going to die from exposure to the elements, even if he was merely wearing a t-shirt. Something about that spot was particularly warm- maybe not physically, but inside, he felt a warming sensation. He took a deep breath and slowly made his way over to the headstone. It was bigger than the others- he'd made sure of that. He settled himself in the grass in front of her grave, sitting cross-legged and silent, trying to figure out where to start. He twisted a green blade between his fingers as he eyed the headstone in front of him. He saw his last name carved into the stone, the date of her death, the word 'love', and he sniffled to try and catch a grip.

Booth did the one thing he could think to do. He began to talk.

"Hey Lorelai. I'm really sorry I haven't come to visit, I just… I haven't known what to say, y'know? Of course you know. You know everything and you understand everything. I miss that. I miss being able to say something to you and just get a hug from support out of you. I miss your hugs a lot. Towards the end your arms could hardly make it around my entire waist but that was okay because at least I could hold you. You were always really warm even though you felt cold a lot. Did you know that? I always felt a lot warmer with you around. Like that time when we were still living on ninth street and the heat broke for like, three days that one winter and we spent that entire day laying in bed, cuddling. And you kept calling me weird because I was just wearing a t-shirt while you were all bundled up in about fifty of my sweatshirts, but I kept telling you I wasn't cold? Well I wasn't. Because it was like… Every time you touched me, I was on fire. I know I should have told you all of these things while you were still around. I'm sorry. I regret that, sometimes. All the time, actually. I would have loved to see that small smile on your face that you got whenever you remembered how much in love with you I was. I remember that, you know. Maybe you don't know that you did it. But you used to get this really slow, soft smile and you'd look down at your wedding ring and twist it around your finger and then move closer to me or something. I miss that.

"Actually, I just miss everything. I don't think you realize how much I miss you. I know you're around- I'm still positive it was you that convinced me to buy that yoghurt when I was at the store last week. I don't even like yoghurt but I bought it and I ate it because I swear that's what you wanted me to do. You always used to love yoghurt. But even though you keep coming around to tell me to buy yoghurt, I still… It's not the same. I know that you hate thinking that I'm unhappy, but I can't help it, Lorelai. Every night I have to hug a pillow to myself and pretend it's you, otherwise I can't sleep. I can't really sleep anyways. I'm so tired but I don't really think sleeping would help all that much. You're not here, with me. I can't hug you or kiss you could night or wake you up by tickling you anymore, and that's what used to happen. It's like my entire routine has been disrupted. But I don't want you to think that your death was just a routine disruption, because that's not it at all! God, not a moment goes by when I'm not thinking about you.

"I didn't lie when I said I would never forget you. I also didn't lie when I told you that I'd never stop loving you. Because I do love you. Every time I open my wallet, I see your picture and I fall in love all over again. Because you're so beautiful, Lorelai. I just wish you were still with me. I'd give anything to be with you again, you know that, right?

"I'm not sure if you know, but… I moved back to Washington D.C. five or so months ago. Yeah, I joined the team again. You remember me telling you about the Squints, right? Everyone's still there, everyone's still the same. Angela and Hodgins have a beautiful kid now, they really do. And Bones, you remember me talking about her, I'm sure. Well, she's engaged. It's to this really cool guy, Seth. You'd have liked Seth. He isn't some hot shot or anything, he's just this guy who's nice and who really loves her. She deserves someone like him. I know that they're going to get married and be happy because they're perfect for each other, just like we were perfect for each other. Two halves of a whole. Sometimes, though, I don't like to look at them because they do remind me so much of us. They'll laugh and hug and I'll be sad because I know you're not there for me to hug and whisper in your ear that they're cute, but we're cuter. Because you're gone, you know? And I can't do that. So I don't know what to do.

"I did something bad last night, Lore. I know you won't think that it's bad, but I feel guilty for it. I let myself have fun last night, y'know? And I kind of forgot about everything and I was just… Drunk and Bones helped. And I felt cold when she went home. I had to let you know. I've never felt more unfaithful. I know it's not fair… She's my friend, and you want me to move on, and feel happy again, but I can't. It doesn't feel right. I'm so sorry.

"But it isn't the first bad thing I've done. None of them know about you, y'know. I mean, they know… Things. But they don't know you're gone. They don't know how much you mean to me. I've done such an injustice to you, Lorelai. I'm so sorry. About everything. You gave me everything you could and this… This is how I'm repaying you for it. You deserve better than me. I'm so sorry. If you were still alive, I'd be showering you with everything I could right now. But you're not. So I have to fix this. I'm so sorry. I love you. I really do. I just had to tell you.

"I promise that I'll fix this. I promise I'll tell them soon. I promise I'll make it up to you. I promise I'll never forget you, and I'll never stop loving you. I promise."

Somewhere along the way, he had started to cry, and it was only when he paused to take a breath that he really noticed. Booth rose a hand up and swept it across his cheek, clearing away some of the tears though not bothering to take care of the ones that followed. He stretched out horizontally on the grass, laying on his stomach, creating a pillow with his arms and settling in for more of a chat. He went on for hours about everything and anything. About some of the cases he's been taking, about Parker, about his friends and about things he knew she'd miss, like those movies she'd like that he only still went to because he knew that if she were still alive, she'd give him those killer puppy dog eyes until he was sitting right next to her in the theatre. Hell, he never really missed an opportunity to go on opening day.

It was approaching dusk when he finally pulled himself upright, assuring her that he would come back soon to see her. He slowly walked back to his truck, feeling as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He knew it would have helped to talk to her. It gave him some closure, which he certainly needed. He felt warmer, almost happier in a weird way. Booth grabbed some dinner and started the drive back to Washington. He went straight home, only vaguely aware that it was midnight when he pulled into his driveway. He grunted as he noticed Sweets' familiar car parked in his driveway, a scrawny figure pacing around on his porch.

"Damn," Booth mumbled, sliding out of his car, the slam of the door arousing the other's attention.

"Agent Booth!" he exclaimed, worry obviously lacing his voice, "Everyone has been worried sick. Where were you? Why didn't you answer your phone? No one's heard from you."

Booth was suddenly very glad it was Sweets who had decided to wait at his house, rather than anyone else. "I went to go see her."

Sweets' demeanor immediately altered, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Wanna talk about it?" When Booth shook his head, the other nodded and pulled out his cell phone. After hitting a few buttons, he plastered the phone to his ear. A few seconds later, he said, "Booth's home. He and Lorelai went to the country for a no-phone day." A pause. A guilty look. "Yeah, I met her." Another. "Yes, she's just as lovely as he says." Another. "No, they both looked pretty tired. Yeah, I'll tell him." He hung up, then frowned up at Booth. "They said they'll see you tomorrow, and to call before you do that again."

Booth breathed a sigh of relief, clapping Sweets on the shoulder. "Hey, thanks. Do you uh, want to come in and get a drink?"

Sweets kept a straight face. "That depends. Are you gonna maybe talk to me about everything?" After some hesitation, Booth nodded, and Sweets cracked a smile. "Then yeah. I can stay awhile."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: You guys tempt me to write an AU story where Lorelai doesn't die and Seth/Brennan don't split, haha. I don't know if I will, because people get pissy if a story doesn't end up with B/B, but I'm still rather tempted.

You guys might get pissed off at me for this chapter. I promise I'll make it up to you by throwing in a lot of B/B fluff in the future.

This is where you find out how Seth and Brennan break up. I assure you, as one reviewer predicted, that Seth does not die. I promise you'll find out what happens to him if I write an epilogue.

Reviews are stellar, by the way. Yes, this is me, being shameless. C:

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

After visiting Lorelai, Booth allowed himself to breathe a little easier. To feel a little less guilty for living his life. He knew he should have gone to talk to her a lot sooner, and a lot more often, but he didn't want to take those few steps to getting over her. He knew, deep down, that he would never truly get over her, but the idea that there might be a moment, just a moment, where he would think of something other than her frightened him. She was his life and he felt as if he would be doing her an injustice to allow himself to consider other things, to allow her to float to the back of his mind. It was sick, and he was going to pay hell for it later, but he didn't know what else to do.

The week that followed, Booth was forced to fill Sweets in on everything he needed to know when it came to lying for him about Lorelai. And it came in handy- everyone was curious to know what one of their own thought about the "mystery wife", and although Sweets wasn't happy having to lie about it all, he did what he needed to do for Booth's sake. Sweets was well aware that Agent Booth was having a harder time than most when it came to coming to terms with his wife's passing, and he knew that he had to let him come out with the truth on his own. It would do no good for Sweets to out the secret, so he kept quiet and played along. It all came in handy, too- sure enough, Angela, Cam, Daisy, and even Hodgins were intent on squeezing every last detail from Sweets. They all received generic answers- Lorelai was lovely, shook his hand, invited him in, and offered him a drink. They all sat around and chatted and from what he gathered, she was everything Booth had talked her up to be. The Jeffersonian Team ate it all up, but after a few days, the buzz died down as planning for Brennan and Seth's wedding picked up the pace.

Over the next three weeks, things seemed to rush by so quickly that nobody knew what was going on. Without Brennan's knowledge, the team had fixed it so they would be receiving no new cases until after the honeymoon, but Temperance was so distracted that she hardly even noticed, which astonished Booth. He was named one of Seth's groomsmen, with Hodgins being the best man, which was fitting since Angela was the maid of honor. There was wine tasting, cake tasting, tuxedo fittings. Brennan put up a lot of fits because she found the whole process to be absurd, whereas every new venture was as exciting to Seth as the last. Everyone else found it quite humorous, how they were so backwards from the traditional couple. Brennan wasn't putting much thought at all into the fact that she was about to be married- all that she could focus on was the fact that everyone was bustling around for her and making her do things that she found ridiculous and Seth was getting more and more giddy by the day and, honestly, it was a bit overwhelming. All she wanted to do was get back to work but no one would let her.

During this time, all Booth could think about was how lucky she was that she was getting the wedding that he and Lorelai never had. Deep down, that thought tore him apart. He wanted to see that look of raw joy in her eyes as she tried on her wedding gown, and shoved cake in his face (as he was sure she would have done) during the tasting, and be just overall happy about the entire thing. He had to continue to remind himself that it was the marriage that counted, not the way it was done, but it was hard to help himself.

Exactly five nights prior to the wedding, Angela had tricked Brennan into going to a lingerie store for the "wedding night". Temperance found this just as absurd as everything else, if not more- why get something fancy if Seth was just going to rip it off of her anyways? It would only be of use for all of a minute, if that. And, as she continued to argue, it would not be the first time they made love, or anything close to it. But Angela insisted, continuing to throw various pieces into the dressing room stall.

"Angela, this is ridiculous," Brennan whined stubbornly, drawing back the curtain to step out to show her best friend the next piece. "It's just going to get in the way. Seth is going to have a hell of a time getting this off. You have no idea how long it took me to train him to remove my bra one handed. He's not ready for a step up to something like this. It will take away from the mood."

Angela clapped her hands together in delight, giggling as she stood straight up. "The point is for you to look hot, Sweetie. And trust me, you do."

A smirk. "I do look quite aesthetically pleasing, don't I?"

The artist sighed. "Word of advice, if you're worried about keeping things in the mood, don't say 'aesthetically pleasing' as a synonym for 'sexy'."

"Angela, Seth is already quite aware that I'm 'sexy'," Brennan countered, using the whip that Angela had forced into her hand to scratch an itch on her bare thigh, "Not only does he inform me of that fact every day, but he also displays his affection quite well."

"Yes, Bren. You've already described his overwhelming penis length to me quite thoroughly. I'm as eager as the next person to hear your borderline pornographic anecdotes- because apparently Seth gives a lot to tell, who would have known- but that is what I'll be asking to hear after the honeymoon. For now? I want you to purchase what's on your body, because I would really like to do you right now." Angela smirked as Brennan cracked a smile.

"That was highly inappropriate, Ange."

"That's exactly what I was aiming for. Now c'mon, Sweetie. Jack wants me to get home so we can have our own inappropriate fun."

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

Despite ending the evening with Angela on a lighter note, Brennan found herself overwhelmed by everything. She needed a night away from everything. So she went to the one place she knew she could just have some conversation and some drinks and forget about everything, just for a few minutes- Booth, who she would have expected to be all over the wedding business, being the man who tried so hard to get her to believe in it all so many years previous, was the one person who kept his opinions to himself. If anything, he seemed disinterested, almost bothered by it all. She couldn't blame him. It truly was absurd- perhaps he knew that now that he was a married man himself, despite the fact that he seemed quite happy.

Hardly thinking that she might encounter his wife during this late night impromptu visit, Temperance knocked on the front door, hardly phased when she was greeted by a rough-looking Booth. "Can I come in?" she asked abruptly, before he could talk, "I need to drink."

"Bones," Booth greeted with a low chuckle, "What're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be home with Seth?"

Brennan slipped past him, removing her shoes by the door. "I need to drink and not cuddle while I'm doing that. I trust that you won't try and hug me, whereas Seth will. I need a breather."

And so he obliged. They made small talk while Booth poured them both drinks, and they settled on either end of the couch, drinking and chatting. It was almost like the old times, which both of them appreciated. But they knew it couldn't last, so after about an hour, when both had a nice buzz, Booth decided to ask the deeper questions.

"What's going on with you, Bones?" he asked softly, looking up with a concerned look in his eyes. She had fallen back into step with being his best friend, and he wanted to make sure she was okay.

She merely shook her head. "This is all… Ridiculous, Booth. What am I doing? Marriage isn't for me, I don't believe in it. Why can't Seth and I remain as we always have been? What we have works for us. We live together and we're always around each other and we love each other. Despite the fact that 'love' is just the production of a chemical in the brain, it still exists between the two of us. Why do we have to make it official with the government? Why does it really matter?"

"Seth is a man of tradition, Bones, just like me," he reasoned, "It's important to him. You're right. Not a whole lot will change. But it will mean a lot to Seth, and you want that, right?"

"It's absurd to think that two people could be in love forever."

Booth immediately put down his drink and an awkward silence settled for quite some time. After what seemed like an hour (but in reality was only a minute), he spoke. "I want you to know right now, Bones, that you are a genius, but when it comes to love, you are wrong. You are so wrong. For as long as I walk this earth, I will love my wife." He held up his left hand, gesturing to the ring on his finger. "And I see the way Seth looks at you. He will never stop loving you. And I know you will never stop loving him." He was intent on making her see that she would be missing out if she did not follow through with the wedding. He reached forward and took one of her hands in his, persuading her to look him in the eye. "I want you to listen to me, Bones. You love Seth. I know you do. And he loves you. More than anything. Getting married is not a bad thing by any means. Marriage means that you will have someone to wake up to every morning. Marriage means that you'll always have one person in your life who you can go to for whatever you need. Marriage means that you'll have someone to love you and care for you for as long as you live. Marriage means not growing old alone. Marriage means having someone to worry about and care for. Do you know why marriages end, Bones? They end because two people, who love each other, cannot communicate. You and Seth can communicate and compromise. A marriage ends because someone is unfaithful. Both of you would never dream of breaking your monogamy. A marriage ends because harsh things are said, when you can't think of any other words. You and Seth have been together for eight years, now. You have everything worked out. You have a routine. You are in love, and that will never die. I know when two people are perfect for each other, and Bones, you and Seth will be together forever. I see the way he looks at you. How excited he is when he can hold you. How much he longs for just one little kiss. How he feels when you're smiling at him. How he would do everything in his power to make sure you're happy. Do you want to know what he told me yesterday, Bones? When we were fitting his tux? He told me that he feels like the luckiest man on earth. And that's precisely what he is, because he found you. Don't throw that away, Bones."

Temperance took a deep breath, blinking back tears. "I have to go," she swallowed, "Thank you, Booth."

And before he could say anything more, she was out the door.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

Dear Seth,

As you are well aware, I do not like to wake you when you are asleep, but this could not wait until morning.

I want to begin this letter by assuring you that I do, in fact, love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anybody else in this world, but that is why I have to do this. Love is not real. Love is not forever. I am surprised that ours has lasted as long as it has, though for that I am grateful. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that when our love does diminish, your leaving will have more impact on me than I am prepared to handle. When my parents left, I was young, though I have yet to recover in full. I am afraid that your leaving, which is inevitable, will ruin the person I have become.

I am afraid of how I will feel when, one day, you decide you do not want to wake up next to me any longer. I am afraid of what will happen when I will no longer have you to support me. Marriage is not something I can handle. Booth says that you will love me forever but I do not believe him. I don't believe that it is possible for us to remain in love, no matter how we are currently.

I want to thank you for spending so much time with me. For being the most amazing person I have ever encountered in my life and for being there through thick and thin. I love you. I truly do. But that is why I must say goodbye.

I hope you find somebody who can make you just as happy as you have made me.

Love, Temperance.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

An echo of a slamming door. Quick footsteps. A louder slamming door. A clearing of a throat and then, finally, a stern "Brennan".

The referred to female looked uneasily up from her laptop screen, slumping guiltily in the seat behind her office desk. Angela was undeniably intimidating when she was angry, and by the look on her face, she was certainly pissed. After writing the note breaking up with Seth, Temperance had taken refuge in her office, afraid to do anything other than work. She was afraid that she would break if she dared to do anything different, but it was only a matter of time before the others found out. She just wished she would have had an hour more. Just an hour.

"What were you thinking?" Angela wasn't about to let her get a word in edgewise. Not yet, at least. "For someone who is supposed to be a genius, you can be a real idiot sometimes, Bren. Why would you do that? And with a note, for God's sake. I thought you at least would have had the decency to do it to his face. But you shouldn't have even done it in the first place. I don't see why you're being such a coward, Brennan. You broke up with Seth because you were too in love with him and because you thought it wouldn't last. Is that what you really think? Do you think that me and Jack are just going to one day decide we don't love each other anymore? Do you think that Booth and Lorelai are going to get a divorce? What about Sweets and Daisy? You base all of your predictions off of proof, right? Well you have all the proof you need working right next to you every single day and you still can't accept it. You are a coward. Not everyone is going to leave you, Brennan. Seth is the last person you have to worry about doing that. But you know that, don't you? You're just using it as an excuse. You just have cold feet. You had absolutely no decent reason to do what you did."

"I… I was scared, Angela."

"Bull shit."

A silence fell between the two of them as Brennan fought back tears under Angela's piercing gaze. After a few moments, the silence was broken. "I dragged Seth down here. He's a wreck. He's in limbo. Go talk to him."

There was no use in disobeying.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

Slowly, the door to limbo crept open and Brennan stood in the doorway, observing her (ex) fiancé. What Angela said had been correct. Seth was leaning against the table, holding onto it for support as though his knees were about to buckle out from beneath him. His head was bowed but she could tell by the way his shoulders quivered that he was crying, no matter how silent it was. She fought to keep composure, clearing her throat to catch his attention. He just about jumped out of his skin, quickly wiping at his eyes and straightening up. The look on his face nearly broke her- he looked desperate to say something, anything, to get her to come back to him. But he couldn't think of anything to say, and she had no idea what to do.

Instead, she said, "I'm so sorry, Seth."

Well… That set him off.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you, Temperance?" he began, choking back a sob, "Any clue whatsoever? I gave you everything. You are my life. When I read your note, I felt like you dropped a fucking bomb on my head. And you had the audacity, the nerve to tell me that I was going to leave you? To fall out of love with you? God, Temperance! I thought you knew me better than that. When did you stop trusting me? And then… And then you told me that you knew that you were going to stop loving me? Do you know how much that hurt? God, how… What am I even supposed to do? I can't… I can't live without you, but I can't… I can't just go on knowing that you're having these thoughts, these doubts! Damnit!"

Brennan cleared her throat, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Seth, but I just… Love is just…"

"Love is not just a chemical, Temperance!" He raised his voice, though it was cracking along with his sanity.

"But it is! It is and it… It can't last! It's never lasted, not with… Anything. Anyone. It can't last forever and you're a fool to say that it does!" That last bit slipped out, quickly followed by a few tears. "I… I'm sorry, Seth. I don't know what else I could have done."

"You could have talked to me," he sobbed quietly, "I would have set the record straight. I love you, Temperance."

"For now."

"Forever."

"There's no such thing as 'forever'."

Another eerie silence fell between them. Temperance had had enough of them. Luckily, Seth piped up again, though he was so quiet that it was almost inaudible. "So what now?"

She bit her lip, thinking. "We can… Continue, perhaps. And wait until… Wait until it happens."

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" When she shook her head, he continued, "Temperance… You deserve somebody who can make you change your mind. Who can make you believe in love. If… If I can't do that, then maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not the right person for you." He sniffled, wiping some tears away before approaching her, pressing a soft kiss to her lips and then one to her forehead, letting the latter linger.

She heard an audible sob leave him once he was out of the room, and she allowed herself to cry, harshly, her own sobs filling the silence of limbo. After what seemed like ages, there was a knock on the door and Brennan turned around to find Booth standing in the doorway.

"Bones. You wanna go for a little trip?"

"Yes."


End file.
